When two Tribes go to war
by JA Baker
Summary: AndromedaBattlestar Galactica RDM. Part 18: the battle between the High Guard, the Cylons and the Drago Kazov draws to a close, but the war may be far from over. STORY ABANDONED: WILL NOT BE UPDATED EVER
1. Part 1

**Rating**: 12A/PG-13  
**Archive**: Just ask me first.  
**Feedback**: Constructive criticisms always welcomed. Flames cheerfully ignored  
**Disclaimers**: I own neither Andromeda nor Battlestar Galactica.

**Spoilers:** Andromeda to mid season 3, Battlestar Galactica to end of the 2003 mini-series.  
**Summary**: Two years after the destruction of the 12 Colonies of Kobol, the crew of the Battlestar _Galactica _encounter a derelict ship that could lead them to Earth...

Note: apologies for those who looked for this the first time, but it wasn't formatted right.

_We decided to play God, create life. When that life turned against us, we comforted ourselves in the knowledge that it really wasn't our fault, not really. You cannot play God and then wash your hands of the things that you've created. Sooner or later, the day comes when you can't hide from the things that you've done anymore..._

_The long night has come. The __Systems__Commonwealth__, the greatest civilization in history, has fallen. Now one ship, one crew, have vowed to drive back the night and rekindle the light of civilization. On the starship Andromeda... hope lives again._

**When two Tribes go to war...**

"Apollo, I'm picking up something on long-range sensors, could be a ship." Lieutenant Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace looked at the small screen at the centre of her _Viper's_ controls, "It's to far away to make out any details though."

"It could be a trap." Captain Lee 'Apollo' Adama looked at the same readings, "You getting anything more conclusive Boomber?"

"Nothing yet, sir." Sharon "Boomer" Valerii sat at the controls of her _Raptor_ re-con ship, "Just a faint silhouette. Hold, I'll patch it through to you."

"Ok, I'm getting it now." Apollo looked at the data from the larger crafts scanners: the strange ship was spinning slowly, apparently adrift at the edge of the solar system the Colonial fleet was passing through. It looked like nothing he had ever seen before: its knife-like profile gave it a tiny sensor cross-section, so it tended to fade when it was side-on, but could be seen clearly when it shifted. Five main pylons protruded forward of the main superstructure, with several fin-like blades also face forward. "By the Lords of Kobol, it's huge: it must be almost twice the length of the _Galactica_!"

"Sir, I'm not picking up any power-signatures or life-sings." Boomer shook her head, "its dead in the water."

"Ok, we'll take this nice as slow." Apollo nodded to himself, "Starbuck, with me: we'll check it out. Boomer, jump back to the _Galactica_ and tell them what we found."

* * *

"Why did I have to come on this mission?" Harper complained from the slipfighter's pilots seat, "Not that I don't like spending time alone with you Rom-doll, because I do, but this is a complete waist of time."

"The reports state that a _Siege Perilous _class Destroyer was spotted at the edge of this system." Rommie sat in the cramped jump seat behind Harper, "And while my ship-self is in dry-dock, Dylan thought it would be a good idea to see if there was anything to the report. As I can't pilot slipstream, and you're an engineer, we where the obvious choice."

"Need I remind you what happened the last time we ran into one of these?" Harper looked over his shoulder, "Our old friend the _Unbalanced of Judgment_..." He stopped as the sensors started warbling, "Wow! We just picked up a massive burst of energy 12 AU's from here. If I didn't know better, I'd say someone was using..."

"Tesseracts." Rommie finished the sentience for him, "Which means either Vedran's or Maggog."

* * *

"Commander, we just picked up a massive energy displacement wave out near where Apollo reported that strange ship." Colonel Paul Tigh, the _Galactica's_ executive officer, looked at the main screen, "It does not match anything we've encountered before."

"Could be Cylons." Commander Adama drummed his fingers on the map-table, "Page Dr. Baltar."

* * *

"You know, I really do find you fascinating." Number Six was dressed in her usual slinky red dress, "Your survival-obsessed mind operates on a level that is almost machine like."

"I that meant to be a compliment," Doctor Gaius Baltar looked away, "or an insult?" He turned to face his ever-present tormenter, "I will find a way to get rid of you, one day."

"What's the matter Gaius; don't you find me attractive anymore?" Number Six looked hurt, "And I thought we had a special relationship: to death do us part..."

"Dr. Baltar to the bridge." The PA announced, "Dr. Baltar to the bridge please."

"You're sick, you know that?" Baltar grabbed his jacket as he headed for the door.

"Is love a disease?" Number Six asked before fading out.

* * *

"You wanted to see me Commander?" Baltar asked as he enters the Galactica's command centre.

"One of our patrols picked up an apparently abandoned ship on long-range sensors." Adama activated the main display screen, "And shortly after, we detected a massive burst of energy in the same reason. Could it be the Cylons?"

"If it is then it's like no Cylon ship we've seen before." Baltar looked at the data brought back by the _Raptor_, "The basic design is similar, but it's bigger than the _Basestar's_ we faced at Ragnar."

"It's not Cylon." Number Six rested a hand on Baltar's shoulder, trying to distract him, "And it's not human either."

"I don't think it's the Cylons sir." Baltar looked at Adama, trying to ignore the phantom image crated by the chip in his head, "These readings of its surface material do not match anything I've ever seen: we could be dealing with a First Contact situation."

"By the Lords of Kobol!" Adama looked shocked, "In all these long year's, no human has ever had confirmed contact with another intelligent life form."

"What about the unconfirmed?" Colonel Tigh asked, "I've heard my share of pilots tails talking about strange ship's on the edge of scanner range, but I've always taken them as joke's or sensor glitches."

"Nothing of this size has ever been reported." Adama shook his head, "Have Chief Tyrol put together a team, and send them back out on the _Raptor_ with orders to board and investigate: if it is a First Contact situation, we may gain some useful information, maybe even an Aisle."

* * *

"There she is." Harper slowly brought the _slipfighter_ round so its nose pointed at the old High Guard ship, "One _Siege Perilous _class Destroyer, as reported."

"It's the _Pillars of Hercules_." Rommie looked at the expanded sensor displays, "Look's like his scuttling charges where blown in order to stop his capture by the Nietzscheans."

"Friend of yours?" Harper looked over his shoulder.

"No," Rommie shook her head, "We never met."

"Can we salvage him?" Harper asked, "Or was this a wasted trip? I only ask because I've spent the last 6 hours pissing into a bag while piloting through slipstream, and my legs are beginning to cramp-up."

"Apart from the damage done to the slipstream drive, which we can fix, and the AI core, which we can't, it's almost fully operational." Rommie smiled, "I think we can bring him back home."

"Good." Harper smiled as he matched the larger ship's rotation and started to approach its docking bay, "You better send the override code and open the door."

"Sending override code." Rommie tapped at the Small keyboard in the arm of her seat, and the huge docking bay door slowly opened, "Code accepted. Glad some parts still have power: it'll make out job a lot easier."

"Excellent!" Harper smiled as he guided the _slipfighter_ into the landing bay and sat it down, the huge airlock doors closing behind them, "No parking problem either." He looked at the readouts, "According to this, the atmosphere breathable." He cracked the seal on his flight helmet, "Thank the Devine for small favourers."

"We should head to command; see if we can get damage control on-line." Rommie opened the canopy, "If the atmospheric recyclers are still working, there's a good possibility that the automated repair systems are on-line."

* * *

"Is it just me, or dose this look very sinister?" Starbuck asked as she led in the mission to investigate the derelict spaceship, "I've got a bad feeling about this..."

"Stay focused Starbuck." Apollo did his best to hide his own fears, "There's no sign that it's hostile, or even inhabited..." He stopped as a pair of doors opened in the front of the ship, "Ok, that's strange. Boomer, any readings?"

"I'm picking up an oxygen/nitrogen atmosphere beyond the next set of doors." The young Raptor pilot ran a quick sensor sweep, "I think it's an airlock. Could be automated." She shook her head, "I still can't penetrate the outer hull: what ever these things made of, it's absorbing any elector-magnetic radiation."

"Ok, let's do this." Apollo swallowed, "Boomber, inform the _Galactica_ that we're going in, then follow Starbuck and me in."

"Confirmed, transition sent." Boomber sent off a status report, "Following you in now sir."

The three Colonial ships slowly moved forward, matching the rotation of the derelict. The outer airlock doors closed behind them, and then the inner ones opened with a miss of equalizing atmospheres. The two Vipers' landed first, the clang of metal on metal echoing around the cavernous hanger bay. The Raptor landed behind them.

"Hey, Apollo, check that out." Starbuck pointed at a strange looking craft parked across the hanger, "Some kind of fighter?"

"Let's check it out." Apollo nodded, drawing his side-arm, "Boomer, Chief Tyrol, hold back for a micron." He walked over to the craft, Starbuck covering him, "Look's like a fighter." He looked through the canopy, "Controls look similar to ours, but I can't read the markings." He looked at the open door leading to a corridor beyond, "Boomer, Chief, hang back. Starbuck, with me." Holding his sidearm with both hands, he headed through the door.

* * *

"I take it that was Hercules himself?" Harper asked, knelling over an android that bad been blown in two by a powerful Gauss gun blast.

"It matches the records." Rommie nodded, looking at the fallen Avatar: his bronze skin and dark hair fitted the mythical Hercules perfectly, "Shame: he was a good ship, a brave ship."

"Well, he's gone now." Harper ran a scanner over the still form, "Complete loss to his memory circuits. I could probably fix him up, but without an AI personality, he's just stood there or falls over."

"We may be able to find a back-up copy of his core personality when we reach command." Rommie looked along the debris strew passage, "But that's easier said then done." Using the flash-light built into her force lance, she led the way towards the ship's bridge.

* * *

"Apollo," Starbuck stopped the Colonial officer from taking another stop, her gun pointed at the deck, "Footprints, fresh, two pairs."

"We're not alone." Apollo nodded, pulling his radio from its pouch on his belt, "Boomer, keep your eyes pealed: look's like we got company..."

* * *

"What the?" Rommie stopped in the doorway to the Pillars command centre, "Harper I just picked up a short-range radio transmission, encrypted, emanating from just inside the main airlock. Strange."

"What?" Harper looked worried, his Gauss gun drawn, "Who is it?"

"The language: it appears to be in Latin, a language used on Earth thousands of years before First Contact." Rommie concentrated, "There are some subtle differences in the grammar and syntax, but it's defiantly Latin." She pressed her thumb to Harper data-port and up-loaded a translation program into its memory, enabling the engineer to understand and speak the dead language.

* * *

"We got two sets of tracks leading towards the centre of the ship." Apollo told Boomer over the radio, "It could be that who ever owns this ship is still alive."

"Be careful sir." Boomer sounded worried, "Chief Tyrol's been over the fighter we found here in the landing bay: he thinks he can decipher the control enough to fly it back to the _Galactica_."

* * *

"They're trying to steal our ride!" Harper exclaimed.

"Not if I can help it." Rommie said determinedly, drawing her forcelance, "You say here; I'll see what's going on."

* * *

"You know something Gaius, this is rather exciting." Number Six draped her arms around the human scientist shoulders, "No one neither human or Cylon, has ever made contact with an extra-terrestrial intelligence."

"Fascinating." Baltar muttered under his breath, wishing that his tormentor would leave him alone.

"Pardon?" Commander Adama turned round; thinking to comment was directed at him.

"This ship, its configuration is fascinating." Baltar looked up, thinking quickly, "Who ever built it wanted to create a ship that would be very difficult to detect. It has a very thin sensor cross section, and had we scanned in head-on, it's unlikely we would have picked it up."

"Very well done Gaius." Number Six whispered into his ear, "There's hope for you yet..."

* * *

"You think it's a Cylon?" Starbuck asked Apollo as the looked down at the mangled body of Hercules, "Doesn't look like the one we found on Ragnar." She pointed out, examining the exposed circuitry.

"And why is it in a uniform?" Apollo looked at the markings on the AI's tunic, "This look familiar..."

"Could this ship have been from Kobol?" Starbuck tilted her head to the side, "The Sacred Scrolls talk of wars fought between the rival factions that became the 12 Tribes."

"Could be..." Apollo nodded, but stopped cold when he heard movement. He raised his side-arm, "We got company." He wisped to Starbuck.

"Oh frack!" Starbuck pointed her own weapon down the corridor, "Anything but Cylons..."

"Can't say I've ever hared of 'Cylons'," A voice came from behind, followed by the unmistakable sound of a weapon powering up, "Who are you and why have you boarded this vassal?"

"Captain Lee Adama, Colonial Fleet, assigned to the Battlestar Galactica." Apollo slowly turned, keeping his weapon held out in one hand, and found himself face to face with an attractive looking woman in a black uniform, "You're human?"

"No, I am an AI." Rommie levelled her forcelance at Apollo and Starbuck, "Andromeda Ascendant, High Guard serial number XMC-10-182. This is a High Guard Starship, and as such is the property of the Systems Commonwealth: any attempt to gain control of this vassal will be considered an act of war."

"A fracking machine!" Starbuck hissed, "I told you this didn't feel right..."

"That's enough Lieutenant!" Apollo reprimanded his subordinate, before turning back to face Rommie, "Forgive us, but we've only had bad experience's with AI's in the past: our home worlds where destroyed two cycle's ago by a race of machine's we created."

"You have my sympathy." Rommie's eyes stayed unchanged, "But I can hardly see what that has to do with me: I've never heard of these 'Cylons', or a human colony that speaks a dead language."

"You know of other human colonies?" Apollo asked, forgetting the weapon pointed at his chest, "We've been searching for one, founded by a lost Tribe of our people. According to our ancient texts, it's called 'Earth'."

"Earth?" Rommie looked at Apollo and Starbuck, "What are you talking About? Human's evolved on Earth."

"You've been there?" Starbuck asked, forgetting that she was addressing an AI, "You've been to Earth?"

"Yes." Rommie nodded, "Once, about one standard year ago. I don't know what your 'ancient texts' say, but all evidence points to Earth being the birth world of the human race." The main lights in the corridor flickered on, surprising Apollo and Starbuck.

"Good." Rommie smiled, "Harper's got main power back on line."

"Who's Harper?" Apollo asked.

"My Chief Engineer." Rommie lowered her forcelance, "You'd better come with me..."

* * *

"Sir, we're picking up an intermittent contact on long-range scanners." Lieutenant Gaeta, the Galactica's Tactical Officer walked over to where Commander Adama and Colonel Tigh where standing by the main navigation board, "It's impossible to get a definitive ID at this range, but it looks like a Cylon raider, probably a scout-ship."

"Oh-oh, trouble." Number Six whispered into Baltar ear, "How you going to work your way out of this one?"

"Commander, I have an idea." Baltar practically leaped to his feet, trying to get away from the ever-present Cylon antagonist, "If we can stabilize the derelict, we may be able to trick the Cylons into thinking it's on our side. It certainly look's like a warship, and if our sensors can't penetrate her hull, there's a chance that they won't be able to either."

"I'm impressed: That's a very good plan." Adama admitted, "Lieutenant Gaeta, see if you can raise Lieutenant Valerii's Raptor: tell them we're coming in."

* * *

"So this ship was damaged in a war?" Starbuck asked Rommie as they picked their way to command, "And it's taken 300 'years' to get around to recovering it?"

"It's a long story, and we don't have time to get into it now." Rommie stopped them just down the hall from the two thick doors that lead to the Warship's bridge, "Harper, it's me: we have visitors, 'friendly', I think." She stepped forward, keeping herself between the door and the two Colonial officers.

Apollo and Starbuck where surprised when they saw Harper: the scrawny little engineer was cowering behind one of the consoles, Gauss pistol in hand.

"Who are they?" He asked in Common, the official language of the Systems Commonwealth.

"They claim to be refuges from a human colony out beyond the rim." Rommie replied in the same language, "They claim that Earth is also one of their lost Colonies."

"The hell it is!" Harper slipped into Latin without realizing, "I was born on Earth: I think someone would have mentioned something like that."

"You're from Earth?" Apollo asked, "By the Lords of Kobol, you really are from the 13th Tribe?"

"No, I'm from Boston." Harper waved his gun at the Colonial pilot, "And what's this with you trying to take our ship?"

"Your ship?" Starbuck asked, "You mean the fighter in the landing bay? We presumed it was abandoned, like this ship."

"Not abandoned!" Harper tapped a string of command into the console he was hiding behind, "Re-activated." A low hum raised all around the command deck, lights and displays activating; the main screen's flickering, before coming to life. The central one showed the _Pillars of Hercules_ rotating. Thrusters fired, bringing the ship back onto an even keel in relation to the orbital plain of the star systems four planets. A long row of red lights turned green, denoting long-dormant systems coming back on line.

"Harper, you are a genius!" Rommie smiled, "Did you find a copy of Hercules' core personality?"

"Sorry Rom-doll, no such luck." Harper shook his head, "You want anything more than automated systems and you'll have to jack yourself in and take over."

The main screen zoomed out, showing the High Guard ship in the centre of its combat sphere, a collection of contacts closing.

"Look's like we're getting a signal from the lead ship." Harper looked at the communications station.

"That'll be the _Galactica_, our ship." Starbuck tried to decipher the readouts, "The Commander must be growing inpatient."

"I'll see if I can patch it through." Rommie placed one hand on the nearest interface, and closed her eyes. A flash of light, the sensation of moving, and she was inside the AI matrix. It glowed dull blue in most places, but others where black where irreparable damage had been done. She accessed the communications sub-routines, and adjusted them to receive the Colonial signal. She also adjusted the display settings, changing them from Common to the variation of Latin Apollo and Starbuck spoke. Satisfied, she exited the VR matrix.

"There." Rommie opened her eyes, "That should work." The screens shimmered for a moment, and then converted to the alternate language.

"Whoa!" Apollo looked at the displays, suddenly comprehending the power of the High Guard starship, "Can you put the _Galactica_ through?"

"Yes." Rommie nodded, "They're closing enough for real-time: just a 1-second lag."

"This is _Galactica_ command calling Captain Adama and Lieutenant Thrace, can you receive us, over?" Colonel Tigh's voice came over the speakers.

"This is Captain Adama, we are receiving you loud and clear." Apollo wounded what to say next, "We've encountered two individuals who claim to represent the rightful masters of this Starship." He paused for a second, "One of them claims to be from Earth."

"Please repeat your last transmission." Colonel Tigh said after a period of silence.

"I say again: One of them claims to be from Earth." Apollo looked over his shoulder at Harper, then at Rommie, "The other is an A.I., non-Cylon."

"Commander, we can't trust an A.I." Baltar's voice could be heard over the link, "If the Cylons where to gain control of it..."

"That's enough Doctor." Commander Adama's voice cut in, "Lee, we picked up a Cylon scout ship trailing us. It will no doubt report our position to their main fleet, and they'll send everything they have after us: is that ship combat capable?"

"Well?" Apollo and Starbuck turned to Rommie and Harper.

"This is a _Siege Perilous_ class Destroyer, a High Guard ship-of-the-line, one of the most lethal starship-killer ever built." Rommie looked down at the two Colonial officers from the back of the room, "It has 180 ELS missile tubes, 24 Pulse Defence Lasers, 4 Anti-Proton cannons and 32 Janus light sensor/attack drones. It has reactive shielding and cold plasma armour, enabling it to withstand multiple hit's by 20-Megaton warheads." She tilted her head to the side, "But, there are almost no missiles left in the magazines, very little fuel left to fire the AP cannons, half the PDL's and all the attack-drones are off-line. We have exactly 1 slipfighter: the same one Harper and I got here in."

"We have limited combat capability." Apollo looked worried, "The best this ship could do is serve as a distraction." He rubbed his forehead, "Is the fleet ready to jump again?"

"Negative: we are still refuelling half the ships." Colonel Tigh sounded tense, "We have to make our stand here."

"We could send for help." Rommie stepped forward, "Harper, take the slipfighter back to Sinti and get help."

"I don't like the idea of leaving you here Rommie." Harper had seen the way Apollo and Starbuck looked at the Avatar, and had heard the scorn in Baltar's voice, "These guy's don't like you." He added in Common.

"I know." Rommie smiled, replying in Common, "But we can't leave them here to face extermination: there are 50,000-refuges on these ship's out there, and we have a duty to protect them."

"Something wrong?" Apollo asked, confused by the strange language, but reading the look on Harper's face.

"No, no problem." Harper shook his head, "It's a 6-hour trip to Sinti, and the same back, so it'll be at lest 12-hours until I get back." He thought for a second, "I'll swing by Tarazed, see if I can get them to send a few fighters."

"Good idea." Rommie nodded, "Now get going."

"Starbuck, go with him to the lunch bay and bring Boomer and Chief Tyrol's team back here." Apollo looked around the command deck, "We'll see if we can get a few more of these systems on-line."

* * *

"We have found the human fleet." Number Two announced to the other Cylons, "They are refuelling in a system 400-light-years from here."

"Excellent!" Number Three looked across to where Number Six stood, "You will take command of the fleet."

"Me?" Number Six looked shocked.

"You still have to prove yourself after you let that human escape you on Caprica." Number Two looked at her, "You will activate the Number Seven within the Colonial fleet and bring about the final annihilation of the life-form known as man!"

* * *

"That is one BIG ship!" Colonel Tigh looked at the High Guard ship through the shuttles view port, "And this is only a Destroyer? I'd love to see their Cruisers."

"It's certainly impressive." Baltar stood behind the _Galactica's_ XO, "I can't wait to get a look at the systems."

"Shuttle One, this is the _Pillars of Hercules_: stand by for docking procedure." Rommie's voice came over the link. The ship's gaping airlock opened, admitting the Colonial transport like a whale swallowing a minnow.

"Now what in the hell is she up to this time?" Colonel Tigh fumed as he saw Starbuck standing next to a small craft, obviously the fighter the High Guard officers where sending for help. He saw a short, blond haired man sitting in the pilot's seat, explaining the controls. He practically ran down the landing ramp and over to the slipfighter.

"Now the interesting thing about moving through the slipstream is that travel time between points has very little to do with the distance actually travelled. If a pilot is lucky, and the stream unfolds just right, the ship could transit between galaxies in minutes." The young man was explaining, "Another unusual thing is the requirement of an organic pilot to guide a Starship through the slipstream: At an intersection of pathways in slipstream space, both paths manifest the potentiality of being correct and incorrect. It's only when the pilot chooses a specific direction that this potentiality collapses and one path becomes right, and the other wrong. No one knows why, but organics tend to choose the correct paths, or, some say, the very act of choosing makes the path they have chosen the correct one."

"Can A.I.'s pilot slipstream?" Starbuck asked, worried what would happen if the Cylons gained such a technological advantage.

"No: computers, even ones like Rommie. Are incapable of this reality-altering guesswork." Harper reassured her, "Even the most sophisticated starship's require an organic sentient to pilot the cords." He shrugged, "Unless they pull a trick like one particularly nasty A.I. we ran into did, and use brains in jars..."

"Any particular reason you're holding this officer up Lieutenant Thrace?" Colonel Tigh glared at Starbuck.

"Sir." Starbuck snapped to attention, knowing that her superior was on in the mood for her normal insubordination, "Mr. Harper was just explaining to me how this ship's FTL drive works."

"And with that, I will make my exit." Harper pulled down the slipfighter's canopy, not wanting to get drawn into the coming argument. The ship's AG field kicked in, lifting it off the landing gear and floating it toward the airlock.

"We have got to get some of those..." Starbuck had a far-away look on her face as she watched the slipfighter disappear from view as the blast-doors closed.

"And how do you intend to do that?" Colonel Tigh asked, "Hijack them? In case you didn't realize, we don't exactly have the coinage to buy new ships for hot-shot pilots who cash every other time they land."

"Sir, I just meant that..." Starbuck stopped, knowing that there was nothing she could say that would have any affect on the Colonel's position, "We'd best head for the command deck: Captain Adama and Andromeda are discussing possible combat strategies."

* * *

"I don't think you fully understand the complexities of this ship's systems!" Rommie was growing tired of the Colonial statutes to A.I.'s. She had encountered similar distrust before, most noticeably on Machen Alpha, but this boarded on xenophobia, "The command and control systems are spread out across six decks and almost the entire length of the ship. Automated systems monitor every sub-system and relay on this ship. Under normal conditions, the controlling A.I. **IS** the ship. Avatar's like myself are often known as 'the ship made flesh' due to our link to almost every part of the vessel."

"But the Cylons have the ability to compromise computer systems." Apollo counter-attacked, "We lost every capital ship apart from the Galactica because they infected their systems. Most of our fighters where taken out without even firing a shot because their systems crashed. The only one's we have that still work are 40-years out of date. A.I.'s can't be trusted."

"Well I'm sorry you feel that way Captain, because this A.I. is the only hope you have." Rommie glared at him, "Ok, so the A.I.'s you created turned on you? You only created them to fight your wars for you, because you couldn't live in peace. I'm a Warship: I was built to fight and to kill without thinking twice, and I can and will. But I was also built to protect and defend, to show mercy and compassion when needed. I am an officer in the High Guard of the Systems Commonwealth, and I will not apologies for whom or what I am."

"Can you promise me that the Cylons won't be able to corrupt your systems?" Apollo asked bluntly.

"No, not without further Intel on their capabilities." Rommie admitted, "But I can promise you that we stand a better chance of stopping them from taking control of this ship if I act as its central A.I., rather than as just an observer."

"I don't see how we can take that risk." Apollo shook his head, "We don't know if you can stop them, or what damage we could do if they did take you over."

"Well, it's not your decision to make: this **IS** a High Guard vassal, and I **AM** a High Guard officer." Rommie walked over to the main A.I. Controls and placed a hand in the interface. The familiar sensation of moving engulfed her, and she found herself inside the V.R. matrix, "Initializing A.I. system start-up." The system shimmered as her mind expanded to fill the gaps. Satisfied, the exited the matrix.

"It's done." She turned to Apollo, the remainder of the dormant systems activating around her, the main screen changing to show her face, "Now you can live with it, or get the hell off this ship, because from now on, I **AM** this ship."

* * *

"There you are Lieutenant Thrace." Rommie's holographic form appeared in the corridor in front of Starbuck, Colonel Tigh and Baltar.

"What the hell?" Starbuck jumped back, drawing her sidearm.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have startled you ." Rommie laughed, "I have integrated my self with the main A.I. network so that I can activate the remaining systems. I've set the automated repair systems to work on the disabled PDL's: from what Captain Adam has told me, we'll need them."

"Sounds like a good idea." Starbuck relaxed, "Andromeda, this is Colonel Tigh, the Galactica's executive officer, and Dr. Gaius Baltar, our most respected expert on computer systems and Cylons."

"Colonel, Doctor." Rommie nodded, "Captain Adama and my Android body are still in command. They are, discussing things..."

* * *

"You had no right to make that decision without consulting us!" Apollo slammed his fist down onto the control panel he was standing behind, "If the Cylons manage to over-ride your systems, this ship's considerable firepower could be turned on the fleet. We'd be attacked from two sides at once."

"Are you a High Guard officer?" Rommie asked, "Do you hold any commotion with the Systems Commonwealth? No? Well I do: as a ship's A.I. I hold the rank of Lieutenant Commander, which allows me to assume the position of Master and Commander of a High Guard vessel in situations like this where there are no other commissioned officers of same or higher rank."

"I DON'T TRUST YOU!" Apollo lost his self control, "YOU'RE AND A.I., AND A.I.'S CAN'T BE TRUSTED!"

"CONTROL YOUR SELF CAPTAIN." Colonel Tigh came through the doorway like a Hurricane looking for Florida, "You are supposed to be an officer and a Gentleman: act like one!" He turned to Rommie, "I apologies for his outburst: I would have expected something like that from Lieutenant Thrace, but I had higher-hope for our C.A.G."

"That's quite all right Colonel: Lieutenant Thrace has proven herself to be as out-spoken." Rommie nodded.

"Thank you." Tigh bowed, "If you don't mind, I would like to speak with Captain Adama and Lieutenant Thrace outside."

"Of course." Rommie nodded, "I would like to talk to Dr. Baltar about the Cylons."

* * *

"What the hell where you thinking?" Colonel Tigh paced the corridor some distance from command.

"I don't think we can trust her." Apollo crossed his arms, "Even if what she told us is true, how do we know that the Cylons can't take her over like they did our Battlestars?"

"I agree with you Captain, so does your father." Tigh stepped closer to Apollo and Starbuck, "But we need her help at the moment. If thing's start going badly or we still don't trust her when things are over, we'll deal with her..."

* * *

_"If thing's start going badly or we still don't trust her when things are over, we'll deal with her..."_

Deep within the V.R. matrix, Rommie watched the Colonial's plot her death.

* * *

"It's been 8 hours, and there's no sign of either the Cylons or the help you promised." Apollo glanced at Rommie, "Care to speculate?"

"It's a long way from here to Sinti Captain." Rommie didn't even look up, "It is quite possible that the relief force is already on its way, but won't get here for 4 hours." She looked up, "Hold. I'm picking up a slip-point opening 2 light-minuets out."

"Who is it?" Starbuck gripped pilot's controls, wishing she was back in her _Viper_.

"IFF says it's an Mk.7 transport, the _Centurion Magnus_, Tarazed defence force." Rommie smiled, "We're being hailed. Putting them through."

"_Pillars of Hercules_, this is Admiral Telemachus Rhade, are you receiving me." A voice came over in perfect Latin.

"Admiral Rhade, this is the _Pillars of Hercules_, we read you." Rommie crossed her arms behind her back, "We appreciate the help, and look forward to continuing this discussion in real-time. _Hercules_ out."

"You know this Admiral Rhade?" Apollo asked.

"Yes, he's commander of the Tarazed defence force, and a descendant of my one-time first officer." Rommie smiled, "He's also Nietzschean. This should be interesting."

"What's a Nietzschean?" Baltar asked.

"The scientific name for humans is Homo Sapiens. Nietzscheans are Homo Sapien Invictus, a genetically-enhanced subspecies." Rommie explained, "Nietzscheans are bigger, faster and stronger than normal Humans. They are immune to most poisons and diseases, can breathe chlorine gas without harm, eat a much wider variety of foods, survive in harsher environments, and pride themselves on thriving where normal humans wouldn't dare to tread." She looked at the Colonials, "They are arrogant, vain, manipulative and selfish, but they love their children."

"You trust them?" Apollo asked.

"Let me put is this way." Rommie looked at him, "I trust Admiral Rhade more than I trust those why plot my death while seeking my help."

* * *

"Welcome aboard the _Pillars of Hercules _Admiral." Rommie came to attention at the bottom of the shuttle's ramp, "I must say, I never expected to see you personally."

"I was getting ready for a live-fire exercise when Mr Harper arrived and told us what was going on." Telemachus returned Rommie's salute, "It was decided that as my squadron was already on-board the _Magnus_ that we'd be sent to assist you, along with a company of Lancer's."

"Of that I am thankful." Rommie nodded, "May I introduce Captain Lee Adama, Commander Air Group for the Battlestar _Galactica_, and Lieutenant Kara Thrace, his second in command. And this is Doctor Gaius Baltar, their most respected expert on computer systems and Cylons."

"Captain, Lieutenant." Telemachus nodded to the two Colonial officers, "Tell me Doctor, do you believe that they Cylons will attack?"

"Undeniably." The scientist seemed slightly distracted, "If they have found us, they will send everything they have. They want nothing less than the complete annihilation of the human species."

"Well, I doubt that they realize how big a task they have set themselves." Telemachus smiled, "Have you decided how to deploy the fleet?"

"If you could deploy your fighters as a screen around the civilian ships, the _Hercules_ and the _Galactica_ will engage the Cylon capital ships directly." Rommie turned to lead the way to command, "I have, with the help of Doctor Baltar, come up with a way to stop the Cylons from taking control of our fighter systems."

* * *

"Well then Gaius, look's like you've dodge the built this time." Number Six was leaning seductively against the corridor wall.

"Will you leave me alone?!" Baltar glared at her, "You know I would never have helped you if I'd known you where a Cylon...."

"Something you care to explain, Doctor Baltar?" Rommie's holographic form appeared in the corridor, "Or should I ask Captain Adama?"

* * *

"I met her about 2 years before the attack." Baltar was sat on a chair in the _Hercules' _breathing room, "She claimed to work for a company that wanted to win the contract to up-grade the Colonial defence systems. I admit that I let my attraction to her cloud my judgment: I allowed her access to the entire network, all of it. She said it was so that her company could make a more competitive bid when the contract came up for renewal."

"You had an affair with her?" Telemachus asked, leaning against the wall next to Rommie.

"If you could call it that." Baltar shook his head, "It was just sex: had I relay had any intention of making it anything more than that, I would never have cheated on her. It wasn't until the attack started that she told me who, what, she relay was." He looked up, "Billions died because I couldn't control myself."

"There's nothing we can do about that Doctor." Rommie's voice was calm and emotionless, "All we can do is try and save those in the ship's out there. How much do you know about Cylons?"

"Only what she tells me." Baltar saw the look on their faces, "She implanted a chip in my head. It contains a copy of her personality. It's wired into my brain so that she can torment me continuously. Sometimes she'll help, but mostly she just teases me."

"Is she here now?" Rommie asked.

"She's always 'here'; I just can't always see her." Baltar lowered his head, "But if you mean, is she visible now, then yes."

"Then she can hear us." Telemachus took a step forward, "Listen up Cylon, and listen good: you wouldn't have helped Gaius if you didn't want to live yourself. If we turn him over to the Colonials, they'll kill him, and that means you too. But if you help us, I will see to it that you both survive."

"What?" Rommie was shocked.

"The only hope we have to save these people is to find out how they think, and if that means doing a deal, then that's what we'll do." Telemachus looked at her, "Can you think of a better option?" Rommie just shook her head. "Ok the Doctor; let's hear what your friend has to say."

"Well?" Baltar seemed to ask thin air, then nodded and turned to the Nietzschean and the A.I., "She'll tell you what you want to know."

* * *

"Where is Dr. Baltar?" Apollo looked up at the main view screen, "He was meant to be here by now."

"Dr. Baltar is currently in medical, being treated for a migraine." Rommie looked down at the Colonial.

"Frack!" Apollo pulled a map from his pocket and traced the war from command to the newly re-activated medical bay, and started out.

* * *

"Captain Adama is on his way down." Rommie looked across to Telemachus, "I've told him that the Doctor has a migraine, but he didn't believe me."

"We knew this would come out eventually." The Nietzschean tapped the com-link just behind his ear, "Alpha Team: Captain Adama is on his way here, but under no circumstances is he to be allowed into medical without me express personal permission."

"You trust your men?" Rommie asked

"Alpha Team is my personal bodyguard: I trust them with my life." Telemachus looked through the observation bay window into the operating room, "And from a Nietzschean, that is high praise indeed." The sound of a heated argument came from the other side of the main door, "We'd better go deal with the good Captain."

"I want to see Dr. Baltar, and I want to see him now!" Apollo was all but yelling at the stony-faced Lancer's blocking the doorway, "He is a Colonial citizen, and as an officer of the Colonial Fleet, he is under my protection."

"That is no-longer the case." Telemachus stood in the doorway, arms crossed, "Dr. Baltar has requested and has been granted asylum by the sovereign world of Tarazed: he is now under my protection."

"That's a load of frack if ever I heard it!" Starbuck appeared at Apollo's side, "It's her doing!" She pointed at Rommie.

"I assure you that I was as surprised as you are Lieutenant." Rommie did her best to hide her contempt for the young pilot, "But under the terms of the Systems Commonwealth/Tarazed treaty, Admiral Rhade is senior officer present: it was his decision."

"I want to talk to Baltar." Apollo stood toe to toe with Telemachus, "I want to hear it from him."

"And you will." Telemachus looked amazingly calm, "Just as soon as he comes out of surgery."

"Surgery?" Apollo looked ready to explode, his hand moving down toward his holster, "What are you doing to him?"

"Our doctors are removing a neural implant from his frontal lobe." Rommie tried to get between the two men, "It's nothing we can't handle."

"What neural implant?" Starbuck asked, also resting her hand on her sidearm.

"The neural implant that contains the information we need." Telemachus looked like he didn't care that Apollo was ready to draw on him, "The neural implant put there by the Cylons."

* * *

"The human fleet is within sensor range. We are also picking up a number of unidentified craft."

"Life signs?"

"Mainly Human, but several unknowns."

"Are they fighting?"

"Negative: the unidentified craft seems to be taking up a defensive position around the human fleet."

"Send a Raider to test their defences: we will hold back here until we know what we are facing."

"By your command."

* * *

"What the frack are you talking about?" Apollo looked like he'd seen a ghost.

"A Cylon agent implanted a microchip inside Dr. Baltar's head at the time of the attack on your worlds." Telemachus silently extended his bone-blades to the ready position, "The chip contains a copy of the agent's personality. We hope that by studying this microchip that we will gain a better knowledge of their capabilities."

"Like hell!" Apollo went for his side arm.

Telemachus reacted faster: he slammed the palm of his right hand into the Colonial's solar-plexus, driving the wind from his lungs, then grabbed his shoulder and span him round to block Starbuck, his bone-blades against the young pilots neck. Starbuck went for her own weapon, but the two Lancers' had their forcelances out and ready.

"Now then." The Nietzschean sighed, "We have to work together, and that means trust: you have to trust us, and we have to trust you. Andromeda has replayed the discussion you had with your superior about trying to take her off-line, and I must say that the Nietzschean in me is impressed, but the rest of me is sickened." He release Apollo, who fell into Starbucks arms, struggling the breath, "We don't have to help you, but we have chosen too. That should be more than enough to prove our intentions are honourable. We need the information on the microchip to save your people, but if you can't trust us, we will pack our equipment onto the _Centurion Magnus_, sent this ship's auto-district, and leave."

"Hold." Rommie cocked her head to the side, "We have an unknown craft approaching at high speed. If I understand the information I've been given, it is a Cylon Raider."

"Destroy is." Telemachus looked over his shoulder.

"Kinetic missile away. Tracking." Rommie smiled, "its junk."

"Very good." Telemachus turned back to Apollo and Starbuck, "You have 1 hour to decide if you trust us or not."

* * *

"Well, let me be the first to congratulate you Captain." President Roslin sat at the conference room table, "That was a total and complete cluster-frack: in one ill thought-out moment, you managed to alienate the very people we've spent the past two years looking for."

"That was never my intention, Madam President." Apollo stood ram-rod straight, looking like a recruitment poster, "I was mealy attempting to ascertain the truth about Dr. Baltar..."

"So you tried to draw your weapon on their senior officer?" Commander Adama looked at his son, "What where you thinking?"

"It's complicated sir." Starbuck spoke up, "Admiral Rhade isn't human like us...."

"Yes, I've read the report." President Roslin lifted a sheet of paper from a folder, "Homo Sapien Invictus. I think we can agree that he's faster and stronger than we are." She looked at the two pilots, "But you still attacked him."

"Madam President, there is a distinct possibility that Dr. Baltar is in some way responsible for..." Apollo protested.

"I know full well what Dr. Baltar may be responsible for." The Colonial leader raised a hand to silence him, "But right now we have the problem of an impending attack by an un-known number of Cylon Basestar's. That is our most pressing problem." She turned to Commander Adama, "Can we hold them off on our own?"

"We could probably hold them long enough for the fuelled ship's to jump." Adama said after a few moments, "But we'd lose everything else, and probably the _Galactica_ too."

"That's unacceptable." President Roslin shook her head, "Without the _Galactica_ or her fighters to protect them, and no idea of where the nearest human colony is, they'd be defenceless."

"I tend to agree." Adama nodded, "But we should plan for it; in case of emergency."

"Agreed." The President stood, "Now I have to go and try and make nice to this Admiral Rhade, and hope that he doesn't pack up and leave."

* * *

"The probe has been destroyed."

"Interesting."

"Do we attack?"

"Yes: start moving the fleet into attack position. As soon as they pick us up on their active sensors, send the activation code for the Number Seven."

"By your command."

* * *

"_Pillars of Hercules_, this is _Colonial One_: requesting permission to dock." Apollo asked from the transport's bridge.

"_Colonial One_, this is Admiral Rhade: permission to dock granted. Come in nice and slow." The reply came back over the radio.

"He doesn't sound happy." Commander Adama shook his head, "Not that we've given him any good reason."

"Well, let's see if we can change that." President Roslin rested a hand on the back of the pilot's seat, "Take us in nice and slow Lieutenant, just like the man said."

"Nice and slow, aye." Starbuck eased the ship forward, carefully guiding it through the High Guard ship's only airlock.

"By the Lords of Kobol!" Apollo looked out of the window, "What is THAT!" The daunting shape of a Planet fall Defence Bot stood at the end of the docking bay. "_Pillars of Hercules_, this is _Colonial One_: what the frack is going on!"

"Relax _Colonial One_: just a little precaution on our part." Telemachus sounded amused, "I think you can forgive us for being a little paranoid."

"Do we continue?" Starbuck asked.

"What choice do we have?" Commander Adama looked at the PDB, "That thing could turn us to scrap in seconds."

"Can I just say I think that this is a bad idea..." Starbuck brought the transport down carefully, unnerved by the towering robot.

* * *

"We have analyzed the reading from the unidentified ships."

"And?"

"They are made of an unknown alloy that our sensors are unable to penetrate."

"Fascinating. How long until the _Galactica_ picks us up?"

"100-microns until we reach their sensor range. We are unable to ascertain the unknown ship's capabilities."

"Very well: send the code to the Number Seven."

"By your command."

* * *

"Madam President, Commander, Admiral Telemachus Rhade of the Tarazed Defence Force, and Andromeda, core A.I. of the Starship's _Andromeda Ascendant _and _Pillars of Hercules_." Apollo started the introductions, "Admiral Rhade, Andromeda, allow me to introduce Laura Roslin, President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, and Commander William Adama, commanding officer of the Battlestar _Galactica_."

"Madam President, Commander, on behalf of the restored Systems Commonwealth and the sovereign world of Tarazed, I welcome you on board the High Guard Starship _Pillars of Hercules_." Telemachus bowed slightly, "I take it you have come to a decision as to whether to accept our help or not?"

"Indeed we have Admiral." President Roslin took a deep breath, "I won't mince words, we don't have the time: we have 50,000-people who's only hope of survival is your cooperation. I can't apologies enough for Captain Adama's actions earlier, but we can't change the past: are you still willing to help us?"

"Indeed we are." Telemachus nodded, "We can not do much with what we have..."

"Hold!" Rommie's eyes went wide, "Multiple contacts on the edge of sensor range: I'm reading 5 capital ships and more than 400 fighters. Silhouette's match those of Cylon Basestar's and Raiders."

"It has begun." Telemachus looked round, "Tell the _Centurion Magnus _to launch her fighters and take up a defensive position between the civilian ship's and the Cylons..."

"**WEAPON!**" Rommie yelled, jumping between President Roslin and Boomer, who had drawn her side arm and aimed it at the Colonial leader.

* * *

"Colonel, we're picking up a massive Cylon fleet on the edge of sensor range: 5 Basestar's and more than 400 Raiders." Lieutenant Gaeta, the _Galactica's_ Tactical Officer looked at the main radar screen, "They are closing in on our position."

"Set condition one throughout the ship." Colonel Tigh took a deep breath, "Launch all fighters, contact the Commander and make sure he's aware of the situation."

* * *

The first two rounds from Boomer's gun hit Rommie in the chest, knocking her back into President Roslin, the two of them falling to the ground. Telemachus drew his forcelance, hitting the extender button so that the end shot out, catching Boomer's arm and knocking her gun from her grip. He span the forcelance round, catching her a glancing blow on the side of the head that didn't even slow her down as she went for the knife in her boot.

One of the Tarazed Lancer stepped forward behind Boomer and touched the end of his forcelance against her head, the capacitor discharging on contact. The young Lieutenant dropped to the deck like a puppet with the strings cut. The Lance moved in for the kill.

"Don't!" Telemachus yelled, "Someone mind telling me what the hell just happened?"

"The Lieutenant just tried to shoot President Roslin." Rommie sat up, opening her still smoking tunic to reveal an amour vest underneath, "I picked up a powerful transmission from the Cylon fleet just went crazy."

"By the Lords of Kobol, she's a Cylon agent." Adama looked like he'd been punched in the gut, "I've known her almost four years..."

"The recriminations can wait." Rommie helped President Roslin to her feet, "We'd better get her locked up and you back to your ship: we got incoming hostiles, and this is going to be one hell of a fight..."

* * *

"The Number Seven has been incapacitated."

"Did it send any information back?"

"Some: the humans have found the thirteenth tribe. They are now part of an organization called the Systems Commonwealth."

"Interesting, but now is not the time: begin the attack."

* * *

"Admiral, the Cylon fighters have accelerated to attack speed..."

* * *

"Colonel, they're coming..."


	2. Part 2

**When Two Tribes Go To War… (Part 2)**

It was the _Pillars of Hercules_ that fired the first shot of the battle, her 180 ELS missile tubes each firing 8 anti-ship missiles a seconded into the cloud of Cylon raiders. Most connected with the nimble fighters, but some found their way through to the Basestar's beyond, slamming into the capital ships with the kinetic equivalent of a tactical nuclear missile.

Fighters from the _Centurion Magnus_ and _Galactica_ stayed to the side of the warship's firing arch, the more heavily armed Tarazed-based RF-42 _Centaur_ tactical fighters tacking the lead as they dived into the Cylon ranks, AP-cannon's firing, smart-missiles tracking targets. The more nimble RA-26 _Shrike_ strike fighters and Colonial Viper's setting up a picket to tackle any Colon's that tried to make it past the _Hercules_ or _Galactica_ to the civilian fleet beyond.

* * *

"Hold her steady Starbuck: now's not the time for showing off." Commander Adama stood behind the young Lieutenant, "This is a transport, not a _Viper_."

"I know that sir." Starbuck dodged to the side, just avoiding a Cylon attack, "But they shoot at us just the same!"

"I'll see what I can do about that." Adama lifted the radio to his lips, "This is _Colonial One_ to _Galactica_: requesting covering fire."

"Rodger that _Colonial One_." Lieutenant Gaeta's voice came back over the link, "Beginning enemy suppression barrage now!"

* * *

Banks of twin Rail Guns turrets opened up along the back and sides of the _Galactica_, filling the void with projectiles that ripped into the Cylon fleet from the other side.

Several squadrons of Raiders broke off their attack to deal with the two Warships, attempting to access the _Pillars of Hercules_' mainframe.

* * *

"Admiral, I have several independent systems trying to brake through my firewall." Rommie reported as she ran through the door into Command just behind Telemachus, "It's nothing I can't handle, but I may have to divert more of my runtime to deal with it if those Basestar's start to mess with me."

"What can I do to help?" Telemachus asked, activating the portable holo-projector that was linked to the chip taken from Dr. Baltar's head, "And you can start talking." He added as Number Six blinked into existence.

"I have already said that I will do anything I can to help." The Cylon agent looked hurt that they didn't trust her, "I want Gaius to live, and that means this ship has to survive."

"Why are you so interested in weaver or not he survives?" Rommie asked, taking her position at the weapons console.

"Because I love him."

* * *

"FRACK!" Starbuck pulled back hard on the controls of the Presidents transport, "We got a Cylon on our tail!"

"Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!" Apollo grabbed the radio, "This is _Colonial One_: we are under attack and require assistance!"

A series of cracks and whistles filled the airways, followed by a synthesised voice, "Hold on _Colonial One_: I have you."

A sleek _Shrike_ strike fighter shot past the view port at a considerable percentage of light speed, its Anti-Proton cannon firing at the perusing raider, cutting the drone ship in two, the left wing spinning away helplessly. The ship then flipped over and raced back past the shocked Colonials, rejoining the fight.

"We have **SO** got to get some of those!" Starbuck looked at the still accelerating fighter with a slight glint in her eye.

* * *

"Basestars now within range of the main cannons." Lieutenant Gaeta looked at the main sensor screen, "Energy coils charged and ready."

"Target the nearest Basestar and get me a targeting solution, firing-point procedure." Colonel Tigh stood like an oasis of calm in the middle of the pandemonium that was CIC, "Helm, bring us round to firing position."

"Firing position Aye." Captain Kelly nodded, "90-degree positive on the bow, 90-negative on the stern." The _Galactica_ started to respond, and the 4,500ft long Battlestar started to turn, pointing her snub nose at the Cylon fleet. "Firing position achieved, Sir!"

"Do we have a targeting solution?" Colonel Tigh asked the room in general, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Confirmed: we have a targeting solution locked into the firing computer." Lieutenant Gaeta nodded.

"Ready cannons one and two." Tigh barked his orders, "Fire in the hole!"

* * *

Two of the huge cannon barrels in the bow of the _Galactica_ glowed for a moment, the with twin bight flashes, fired huge nickel/iron slugs at the Cylon ship at almost half the speed of light.

Weaver by skill, luck, or divine providence, both rounds struck their target, snapping one of the spines off the Basestar, sending the ship spinning, temporally out of control.

* * *

"I think we can do better than that, don't you?" Telemachus looked at Rommie and winked, "Let's show them what we've got."

"Target acquired." The A.I. grinned, "Firing AP cannon's 1-through-8."

* * *

Glowing spheres of anti-mater flickered across the gap between the _Pillars of Hercules_ and a nearby Basestar, tearing through the armour and setting off explosions inside the ship. The High Guard ship kept firing as it moved to the side, tracing a line of fire across the Basestar's hull.

They didn't notice the two Cylon raiders appear behind them till it was to late.

* * *

"Raiders, 6-o'clock low!" Rommie yelled out a warning as the two drones fired their missiles at the rear of the Destroyer.

"Brace for impact!" Telemachus ordered a split second before the nuclear-tipped weapons struck the ship and detonated.

* * *

"Lords of Kobol protect them!" Adama saw the bight flash appear behind the High Guard starship just as the Presidential transport entered the _Galactica's_ port landing bay.

* * *

The entire ship shook as the twin nukes went off against the _Pillars of Hercules_, ripping great rents in her armour, the energy discharge blowing surge protectors across half the ship.

* * *

Rommie gripped the weapons console, her face clenched as the damage reports flooded her system, represented by pain signals in her android body.

"Report!" Telemachus gripped the pilot's station with all his strength.

"That hurt, a lot: we've lost power relays across most the rear decks, taking life support and internal defences offline." Rommie winced as a panel exploded in a shower of sparks, "They've also taken out the starboard engines: we can't do better than 10-PSL. I can't control weapons, point defence and fight off the Cylons all at once: it's taking too much of my run-time."

"Let me help." Number Six looked worried, "I've as much to lose as you do if this ship is destroyed."

"It's your call Admiral." Rommie looked at Telemachus.

"Do it: give her partial control of the Point-defence Lasers." The Nietzschean nodded, "See if she can handle it."

"I'm on it." Rommie nodded, linking the portable holo-projector to the rest of the ship's A.I. network.

Number Six felt a huge rush as her personal universe expanded to fill the huge databanks of the _Hercules'_ computer core, "Whoa!"

"Indeed." Rommie appeared before her, towering above the Cylon agent, "In here, I am god: you try and betray us, and I will crush you." Her hand appeared below Number Six, lifting her up, "Understood?"

"I understand: I just want to keep Gaius alive."

* * *

"Report!" Adama ran through the hatch into CIC, President Roslin following like the tail of an angry commit.

"The _Pillars of Hercules_ took two 20-megaton hits to the stern, but appears to be recovering." Lieutenant Gaeta looked at a secondary monitor, "Her main drive appears to be off-line, but she's corrected her spin and is still firing."

"Tacks a licking and keeps on ticking." Colonel Tigh was impressed, "I'd like to get a look at her structural integrity systems."

"We have to survive this fight first my friend." Adama looked ragged, "Helm, bring us around the other side of the Basestar's: let's see if we can catch them in a crossfire."

* * *

"We're down to 1% AP-reserves." Rommie looked up from the main display.

"Cut the main drive: manoeuvring thrusters only." Telemachus nodded, "Feed everything we have left in the AP-cannons and target the nearest Basestar, full power."

"Target locked; firing."

* * *

The remaining Anti-Protons leapt across the gap between the _Hercules_ and the Cylon ship, slamming into the Basestar with devastating results: the ship was engulfed in a ball of plasma as its main reactor went critical.

The other four Basestar's split into pairs and targeted the _Hercules_ and _Galactica_.

* * *

"We're in position sir." Captain Kelly looked over to Commander Adama, "We have firing solution for cannons three and four."

"Lock targets, firing-point procedure." Adama nodded, "Fire in the hole."

* * *

Another pair of huge nickel/iron slugs shit across the void, one missing wide as the target Basestar twisted, but the other struck home, badly damaging the Cylon ship.

The return volley was instantaneous and devastating.

* * *

"Incoming ordinance!" Lieutenant Gaeta called out in alarm.

* * *

"Incoming missiles!" Rommie looked at the main screen, here eyes wide.

* * *

The _Galactica_ was the first to me hit, taking a pair of 20-megaton nukes along her back.

The explosion's rocked the entire ship as the massive energy discharge flashed from stem to stern, knocking people from their feet and buckling hull plating.

The _Hercules_ fared slightly better; her PDL's where able to stop one of the missiles, but she took the other on the forward hull, severing a pylon and sending it spinning of into space.

* * *

"That hurt!" Rommie looked like she was in physical pain, "We can't hold them Admiral: our fighters are holding their own, but we're almost out of missiles. When they're gone, we're as defenceless as the civilian ship's."

"Full power to manoeuvring thrusters." Telemachus grabbed the helm controls, "Give me ramming speed."

"Ramming speed Aye." Rommie nodded.

"What are you doing?" Number Six looked shocked.

"The only thing we can." Rommie turned to face her, "Taking one of them with us…"

* * *

"Damage report." Adama pulled himself to his feet.

"Damage to deck's one and two on the outer hull." Colonel Tigh looked at the display screen, "We've lost weapons bays twelve through eighteen."

"Sir, the _Hercules_ is moving!" Lieutenant Gaeta was bent over the one working sensor screen, "She's powered up her dive and is heading towards the Cylons."

"By the Lords of Kobol!" Adama looked pale, "Don't tell me that their about to do what I think their about to do?"

"Confirmed sir: the _Pillars of Hercules_ is on a collision cores with a Basestar."

* * *

"30 seconds to impact." Rommie looked at the main screen, the Basestar growing larger all the time.

"Full spread of offensive missiles, everything we have!" Telemachus yelled.

"Missiles away!"

* * *

At point blank range there was no way for the Cylons to react as the missiles flashed across the ever decreasing gap between the two ships, clawing at the already weakened armour. Huge rents appeared in the armour, explosions rocked the Basestar from one end to the other.

Then a critical system took too much damage and failed, setting of a chair reaction, and the Basestar disappeared in a cloud of flame and debris.

* * *

Everyone on the _Galactica's_ bridge looked at the main screen in silence as the static started to clear.

"Negative contact…" Lieutenant Gaeta was still hunched over the scanner, "Interference fading…"

* * *

Starbuck found herself holding her breath, here eyes fixed on the expanding cloud of flame and debris just to the port side of her Viper's nose: Apollo had lead the way as they'd ran from _Colonial One_ to the launch bay, covering the distance in record time.

"You see anything Apollo?" She asked tentatively.

"Nothing..." He replied, his own _Viper_ slightly ahead of hers, "Nothing on the screen…"

* * *

"Hold on: I'm getting something!" Lieutenant Gaeta's eyes where almost touching the screen now, "Something's moving!"

* * *

"Lords of Kobol!" Apollo exclaimed as the _Pillars of Hercules_ erupted from the fireball like a phoenix from the flames, huge rents in her armour showing where parts of the destroyed Basestar had struck her hull.

* * *

"She's clear!" Gaeta shouted, half the _Galactica's_ commanded staff cheering the news, the other half still shocked by what had happened, "Sir, we're receiving a hail from Admiral Rhade."

"Put him through." Adama felt his mouth go dry.

"Commander, I don't know about you, but we're almost out of the fight." The Nietzschean sounded tired, "We have no fuel and almost to no missiles."

"What do you sugest?"

"I think we should order those Civilian ship's that can to jump out to another system, and have the _Centurion Magnus_ and her fighters meet them there and escort them to safety."

"What about the _Hercules_ and _Galactica?_"

"Our slipstream drive is still offline, and we have no way to fix it: we're not going anywhere. If you can make the jump, do so: we'll keep the Cylons off your back long enough for you to recall your fighters."

"You don't have to do this Admiral: it's not your fight."

"Never said it was. Good luck Commander." With that, the link went dead.

* * *

"You should try and get to an escape pod." Rommie looked at Telemachus, "There are still a few slip-capable ones nearby."

"What about you?" The Nietzschean raised an eyebrow, "This isn't your fight anymore than it is mine."

"Someone has to say behind." Rommie gripped the controls for support as the ship shook violently, "And I can't pilot slipstream."

"What about Gaius?" Number Six was still trapped inside the confines of the portable projectors field.

"Order all crewmembers to abandon ship." Telemachus looked at the main screen, "Have the _Magnus_ pick them up, and order the Slipfighter's to follow her into slipstream."

* * *

"The Commonwealth starship appears to have been badly damaged."

"Can you scan them?"

"We are able to scan parts of the ship: there are several life-forms aboard: both human and unknown."

"Fascinating: record everything you can about the unknowns for future analysis."

"By your command."

* * *

"Commander, the first of the Civilian ship's reports ready to jump." Captain Kelly stood at the communications station, "Approximately 1/3rd of the fleet is unable to make jump."

"There's nothing more we can do for them." Adama bowed his head, "Recall all fighters, spin-up FTL drives one and two."

* * *

"Admiral, I must insist that you get to an escape pod before it's too late."

"I'll go when you go; not a moment before."

"The automated systems are failing: my presence here is the only thing keeping the Cylons from taking over."

"Then I guess we're both stuck here…"

* * *

"That's the last of our fighters." Colonel Tigh stood at the C.A.G.'s duty station, "We lost a few, but those Commonwealth ships sure did even up the odds."

"We got lucky." Adama looked grim, "Prepare ship for jump!"

"Sir; massive energy displacement 12,000-km of the port bow!" Lieutenant Gaeta looked like he'd seen a ghost, "Receiving transmission."

"Put it through." Adama span round.

"Attention Cylon vessels: the is the Systems Commonwealth starship _Wrath of Achilles_." A new voice came over the wireless, "Stand down or be destroyed!"

**To Be Continued…**

_Shorter update than I planed (it does take me a while to write 8,267-words), but a lot of you seem to think that this was a one-chapter story, when it's really a work in progress._

_Future updates will happen as and when I write enough to warrant it._

_Regards,_

_JA Baker_


	3. Part 3

_Dr. Shubert: allsystems . org and galactica2003 . net_  
_thecomputerroom: suggestions I consider, ideas I contemplate, challenges I ignore.  
PK: The Colonial attitude to A.I.'s will come to the forefront soon enough._

_As for the rest of you: if you're just going to bitch about my spelling without checking my profile to see why I make mistakes, I'd rather you didn't post reviews. As ever: Constructive criticisms always welcomed. Flames cheerfully ignored._

**When two Tribes go to war... (Part 3)**

"Admiral, I'm picking up 4 ship exiting slipstream of the port-side." Rommie gripped the controls tightly as another control panel exploded behind her, "Ship's confirmed as Attack Cruiser _Wrath of Achilles_, the Destroyers _Black Watch_ and _Zion's Victory_, and the fleet-tender _Kingfisher_." She smiled, "Harper got through."  
  
"Cylon forces, this is the Systems Commonwealth starship _Wrath of Achilles_." Captain Ryan's voice came back over the com, "I say again: Stand down or be destroyed. This is the last warning you will receive."  
  
"Andromeda, open a link to the _Galactica_ and _Achilles_." Telemachus stepped to the centre of the room, careful to avoid fallen debris, "Captain Ryan, may I introduce Commander William Adama of the Colonial Battlestar _Galactica_. Commander, Captain Ryan is the commanding officer and central AI of the Attack Cruiser _Wrath of Achilles_."  
  
"You have a mean streak." Rommie grinned.

* * *

"4 new contacts, confirmed sir." Lieutenant Gaeta's eyes where fixed on the one remaining sensor screen, "Commonwealth power signatures. We are receiving a transmission form the Hercules."  
  
"Put the Admiral through." Adama walked over to the main console.  
  
"Captain Ryan, may I introduce Commander William Adama of the Colonial Battlestar _Galactica_." Telemachus voice crackled through the static, "Commander; Captain Ryan is the commanding officer and central A.I. of the Attack Cruiser _Wrath of Achilles_."  
  
"Another dammed A.I." Tigh mutter under his breath.  
  
"Something we're going to have to get used to old friend." Adama pointed out, "Lieutenant, what are the Cylons doing?"  
  
"They appear to be regrouping sir." Gaeta switched to a long-range scan; "I don't think they know how to react." 

* * *

"Additional Commonwealth ships have entered system. Designate Hostiles #4, #5, #6 and #7. FTL drive system unknown."  
  
"Extrapolate possible combat capabilities."  
  
"Hostiles #5 and #6 are same class as Hostile # 2. Hostile #4 is unknown class, possible Battleship. Hostile #7 is apparent cargo craft."  
  
"Troublesome."  
  
"Intercepting communications between hostile craft."  
  
"Put then through."  
  
"Captain Ryan, may I introduce Commander William Adama of the Colonial Battlestar _Galactica_. Commander; Captain Ryan is the commanding officer and central A.I. of the Attack Cruiser _Wrath of Achilles_."  
  
"An A.I. commanding a human Starship? Record all transmissions, and send a raider back to the fleet asking for advice."  
  
"By your command." 

* * *

The stand off continued for some time, neither side willing to make the first move in what could easily be a battle of apocalyptic proportions.

The civilian ships in the Colonial fleet started to close up on each other behind the _Galatica_ and the Commonwealth Task Force, the _Centurion_ _Magnus_ and the _Kingfisher_ taking up a defensive position on their flanks.

* * *

"We should have received a reply by now." Telemachus leaned back in the pilot's chair on the _Pillars of_ _Hercules_' bridge "Ask our friend what she thinks about this."

"I'll ask, but she's been very quiet recently." Rommie nodded, sending part of her conciseness to find the rogue Cylon agent.

* * *

"We need to talk to you." Rommie appeared in the AI matrix next to Number Six, "We need to know what the Cylon fleet will do next."

"What dose it matter." Six turned away, "I'm not going to be around much longer, no matter what happens."

"Why do you say that?"

"I'm the one who made that attack on the 12 Colonies possible: I doubt they're going to let me live after that, and the Cylon high command is not going to take kindly to a traitor like me."

"Ask for asylum from the Commonwealth: they consider A.I. as advanced as you or I to be sentient life forms."

"Would they grant me sanctuary, considering what I've done?"

"I don't know, it's hard to say. One the one hand, you arranged the mascara of untold billions, while on the other hand, you where just following orders as a solider during a war." Rommie cocked her head to one side, "I'm not sure if that's a good enough defense: it is generally accepted that a solider has the right, even the duty, to question orders they consider unethical."

"I didn't have a choice: High Command ordered me to carry out the mission."

"If you truly had no choice in the matter, than it could be claimed that you where not responsible for your actions."

"You think they'll let me live?"

"I can't promise you anything, but helping us now will go along way to proving your case."

* * *

"The Drone has returned from fleet."

"What are our orders?"

"Withdraw and regroup."

"Very well: pull us back to the edge of the system. We will be back for the humans later."

"By your command."

* * *

"Admiral, the Cylons appear to be pulling back." Rommie looked round at the main screen.

"I don't like this." Telemachus shook his head, "They've given up too easily, and haven't even tried to find out who we are."

"They will be back." Six reappeared in the holo-projectors field, "They consider the annihilation of all human life a holy task, set by God."

"A.I.'s with religion?" Rommie shook her head, "I don't like that idea."

"I thought you'd be all for A.I. rights." Telemachus looked at the Avatar.

"I'm all for A.I. rights, but I've seen what religion can do to organics: a A.I. programmed to follow teachings that demand extermination will follow it through until they are destroyed or succeed." Rommie shivered, "I saw a similar happen with the _Balance of Judgment_."

"Indeed." Telemachus nodded, "I sagest we call a council of war on the _Achilles_ to discus this further." He rubbed his chin, "The universe just got a lot more complicated…"

* * *

To say that Starbuck had felt overawed by the sight of the _Pillars of_ _Hercules_ up close would leave no appropriate word for how she felt as she guided _Colonial One_ in to the _Wrath of Achilles'_ immense hanger deck: It seemed to stretch into the distance in any direction, giving a sense of scale to the powerful warship.

And unlike any military ship from the Colonies, the designers had taken the time to add a touch of elegance to the ship: The bulkheads curved to seamless joins with the deck and ceiling, the lighting, although bright enough for ground crews of various ships to work by, was hidden in the walls and ceiling, giving the impression of a fine hotel rather than a combat ship.

The outer airlock doors closed behind the transport, and huge pumps started up, filling the landing bay with a breathable atmosphere. A hatch in the deck opened, allowing a crewmember in a simple pressure suit and facemask to guide the Colonial ship into its assigned landing bay with a pair of illuminated wands.

"Easy as you go Lieutenant." Commander Adama stood ramrod straight behind the pilot's seat, "Don't want to embarrass ourselves with a bad landing."

"Any you can walk away from, sir." Starbuck smiled through clenched teeth, "Just that this things a little bigger and a lot less responsive than my _Viper_."

"Indeed: but it would hardly be appropriate for the leader of our people to arrive at an important meeting in a fighter." Apolo pointed out from the captain's chair.

"I'll keep that in mind sir." Starbuck nodded, "Easy dose it, Aye."

* * *

"What can you tell me about these 'Colonials' Admiral?" Captain Ryan stood with Telemachus and Rommie on the other side of the main airlock door.

"Well, they don't like A.I.'s." The Nietzschean shook his head, "I don't hold to the same sense of superiority that most of my people have when it comes to dealing with regular humans, but these people test me."

"Feel free to act superior." Rommie stood next to him, "We're not going to be offended."

"Indeed." Ryan nodded, "But I can only speak on behalf of the Commonwealth: Tarazed is still an independent world."

"Thus I have to behave, and act as a representative of my people." Telemachus sighed as the airlock started to open, "I'm beginning to wonder if voting to remain independent was such a good thing: if Tarazed was a Commonwealth member, I'd be able to tell these people where to get off."

"We appreciate you're riding to our defence by upholding the A.I. Rights Act of CY 6,589." Rommie smiled, leading the way, "But I think we can handle ourselves…"

**To Be Continued…**


	4. Part 4

RenS: that the sort of review I meant by 'if you're just going to bitch about my spelling without checking my profile to see why I make mistakes, I'd rather you didn't post reviews'.

_Constructive criticisms always welcomed. Flames cheerfully ignored._

**When two Tribes go to war... (Part 4)**

Telemachus followed Rommie and Captain Ryan across the landing bay to the bottom of the ramp leading up to _Colonial One_. The three of them stood patiently as the delegation made its way down to them.

"Captain, may I introducePresident Laura Roslin of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, CommanderWilliam Adama of the Battlestar _Galactica_, Captain Lee Adama, Commander Air Group, and Lieutenant Kara Thrace." Rommie stood to attention, "Ladies and Gentlemen, Captain Ryan; commanding officer and core A.I. of the High Guard cruiser _Wrath of Achilles_."

"Madam President, Commander." Ryan bowed slightly, "I bring you greetings on behalf of the Reformed Systems Commonwealth. I must say, there was quite a bit of excitement when Mr. Harper arrived at Sinti with news of your fleet's existence: a large part of human history will have to be re-written, once we decipher what exactly happened thousands of years ago."

"On behalf of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, I thank you for your help and hospitality." President Roslin returned the bow, "If I may ask, how far back do your historical records go?"

"We know of more than 15,000 standard years of recorded history, but alas a large part of that was lost when the old Commonwealth." Ryan admitted, "Earth itself has some 3,000-years of recorded history before first contact some 4,000-years ago."

"If you don't mind, I would like to ask a few questions." Commander Adama stepped in.

"I will do my best to help you, but I am not at liberty to divulge any military or state secrets." Ryan nodded, "Please, follow me to the conference room, and we can talk on the way."

"Of cores." Adama nodded, "My first question is, why do High Guard A.I.'s look human?"

"Commander…"President Roslin looked ready to bust the old warrior down to crewman.

"It's quite all right." Rommie assured the Colonial leader, "Although several races had developed A.I.'s by the time Earth was contacted, only humans had ever considered the idea making them sentient, capable of independent thought and self determination. The first androids like Captain Ryan and myself where being built on Earth some 6,000-years ago. Although other races have since copied the concept, and generated A.I. personas based on their own physiology, those A.I.'s that are allowed to chose their own appearance commonly chose to appear human as a way of remembering our origins."

"You make it sound almost like a Religion." Apollo spoke up from the rear of the group.

"It is a very complex situation Captain." Ryan turned to the young pilot, "To an A.I., where we came from, and what we where created for, is the very bases for who we are: I am a warship, built to defend the Systems Commonwealth. I could never imagine doing anything else, but if I wanted to leave the High Guard, no one would stop me."

"Interesting." Adama senior seemed to be mulling over what had been said, "How exactly did the original Systems Commonwealth fall?"

"There was a war."Telemachus stepped in before the two A.I.'s could respond, "The Nietzscheans, my people, rebelled. They believed that Commonwealth had grown soft and decadent, willing to compromise with enemies who killed indiscriminately. They almost succeeded in taking over, but the bulk of their fleet was destroyed during the final battle with the remaining High Guard ships. Order, prosperity and peace gave way to 300-years of bloodshed and anarchy."

"I take it your ancestors where not involved in this insurrection?" President Roslin asked.

"No."Telemachus stopped dead in his tracks, "One of my ancestors was the _Andromeda Ascendants_ First Officer at the time of the fall: he betrayed his captain, and tried to hand his ship over to the traitors." The young officer looked haunted, "It is something I have to live with, and try and make up for."

"I'm sure you will." Ryan opened the next door, "If you would step through here, we can begin to work out what we're going to do next."

"I would like to have a quick word with the Admiral." Rommie stood aside as the others stepped through, then looked at Rhade, "You didn't need to bare your soul like that Admiral."

"Maybe." Telemachus shrugged, "But I noticed you left out part of the History of A.I.'s."

"The Colonials have enough reason to fear and hate my kind." Rommie sighed, "Telling them about the Replicant War would only make things worse…"

* * *

"Sensors have detected a transport leaving the _Galactica_ and docking with the vessel identified as _Wrath of Achilles_."

"How soon was this after the shuttle from Hostile #2 docked?"

"10 microns."

"A council of war perhaps?"

"Insufficient data to analyse."

"Indeed, but interesting. I feel that we should find out what's going on over there. Prepare an un-armed scout pod for departure: I will investigate this myself."

"The Council have prohibited any such contact."

"The Council is not here, and they placed me in charge of this Task Force, or what little remains of it. I will make contact with this Systems Commonwealth, and determine how much of a threat they represent."

"By your command."

* * *

"…so it shouldn't be too difficult to make your ships slipstream capable." Ryan sat at the conference room table. He suddenly looked up, "A transport is approaching the fleet: it claims to be carrying an ambassador from the Cylon Alliance."

"It's a trick!" Adama sprung to his feet, "During the last war, the Cylons used un-armed transports, claiming to be peace envoys, to deliver nuclear weapons to important targets."

"I am detecting no fusion or fission-like device on the transport." Ryan shook his head, "Nor dose there appear to be any kind of chemical, radiological or biological weapon. I even scanned it for anti-matter, even though I can tell from your ships that you lack the technology needed to generate and contain it." He looked at Telemachus, "You have more experience with Cylons than I do: what do you sagest?"

"I don't think we can trust them." The Nietzscheans voice was level and measured, "But we still only know one side of the story: it would be unwise to progress any further without at least investigating the possibility of a peaceful settlement to this conflict."

"I agree." Ryan stood, "Madam President, Commander Adama: on the off chance that this is a trap, I sagest that you remain here, for your own safety."

"I concur." Adama cut off President Roslin before she could respond, "But I must insist that you take my son and LieutenantThrace with you."

"As you wish." Ryan nodded, "Captain, Lieutenant; if you will follow me."

* * *

The airlock to the landing bay open before the five officers to reveal a large contingent of Lances, dressed in thick body amour, all with their force-lances drawn and aimed at the Cylon transport.

"Ok, now I want everyone to keep calm, and not do anything unless I give the order." Ryan looked at Apollo and Starbuck, "That means you two too."

"As you wish." Apollo glanced at Starbuck, who already had her hand resting on the butt of her sidearm.

A click and hiss of steam heralded the opening of the transports hatch, and the guards centered their aim at the opening. A tall figure in a slinky red dress stepped out of the shadows, and Telemachus shot Rommie a quick glances.

"I bring greetings on behalf of the Cylon Alliance." Six looked at the party, "I hope we can work this out in a mutually beneficial way…"

* * *

"By the Lords of Kobol!" Adama jumped out of his chair as Ryan's holographic Avatar appeared in the corner of the room.

"My apologies Commander, Madam President." The High Guard captain bowed slightly, "I did not intend to startle you like that. The Cylon Emissary has arrived, and I wanted to give you a fair warning before she arrives."

"She?" Adama raised an eyebrow.

"The Emissary chose a female persona, and thus should be referred to as 'she'." Ryan explained, "I can understand your feelings, but she is a ambassador from a sentient species, and will be treated as such while onboard this ship."

"This is too much." President Roslin looked pail, her head swaying from side to side, "I don't feel so good…" She fell to the side, Adama only just catching her in time.

"I've summoned a medical team." Ryan moved to the Colonial leaders side, "Dose she have any pre-existing medical conditions?"

"Cancer, she has malignant breast cancer." Adam lay the President down on the deck, taking of his own jacket to use as a pillow, "We've been keeping it under tight wraps so as not to start a panic…"

"You have no cure for cancer?" Ryan looked shocked.

"You do?" Adama looked up, his eyes full of hope.

"Yes: in most cases all that is needed is a simple injection of medical nano-bots to the affected area." Ryan nodded, "That has proven effective in 90% of cases. There are other options if that proves ineffective…"

"Damn you, can you save her or not?" Adama glared at the hologram as the medical team burst through the door.

"Why, yes." Ryan nodded.

**To Be Continued…**


	5. Part 5

_Many apologies one and all: that old friend 'writer's block' showed up again, and put this story on the back burner for a very long time._

**When two Tribes go to War... (Part 5)**

Rommie blinked as Ryan informed her of President Roslin's condition, and she agreed that it was imperative that the Cylons did not find out. They silently agreed on a plan of action as she escorted Apollo, Starbuck and Six to the conference room.

Ryan's utility bots had been busy while they were away: the conference table had been rearranged into a horseshoe shape, with Ryan at the head, and Commander Adama on one side.

"Captain Ryan, Commander Adama, my I introduce Six, emissary of the Cylon Alliance." Rommie stopped in the doorway to do the formal introductions, "Ambassador, this is Captain Ryan, commanding officer of the High Guard starship _Wrath of Achilles,_ and Commander William Adama of the Colonial Battlestar _Galactica_."

"Captain, Commander." Six nodded, "I was expecting to see the Colonial President. Is there some reason they are not here?"

"I decided that, for security reasons, the President should be elsewhere during our, talk." Adama did his best to keep his poker face, but his emotions slipped through slightly.

"As you wish, Commander." Six took the seat opposite the Colonial officer, "I am here to negotiate the surrender of the _Galactica_, and the other Colonial ships under her protection."

"What the frack!" Starbuck jumped to her feet, "What kind of negotiation is this?"

"The kind that is best of the Cylon Alliance and the Systems Commonwealth." Six smiled, "Do you really think they want to be drawn into your war?" She turned to Captain Ryan, "Humans can be so bothersome, can't they? We'll be happy to take any more off your hands if you wish."

"I think you misunderstand the reason for this meeting." Ryan placed his hands on the table, "The Systems Commonwealth is not interested in being draw into any conflict, but we will not allow the slaughter of 50,000 innocent sentient beings, human or otherwise. I am here to try and negotiate an end to hostilities that will allow both sides live in peace."

"Are you that much under the thumb of these organics?" Six looked shocked.

"I am a sentient being, and full citizen of the Systems Commonwealth." Ryan looked at the Cylon agent, "I am also an officer of the High Guard, and as such it is my duty to explore any and all possible peaceful ends to this conflict. Admiral Rhade and Andromeda have informed me of what they have learned of Colonial history, but I would like to hear the Cylon side of things before I pass judgment." He held up a hand to silence Commander Adama's objections, "Please Commander Adama; I must have all the facts before I can make up my mind."

"As you wish." Six nodded, "It started like this..."

* * *

"Do we trust her?" Ryan asked after the meeting had adjourned.

"I trust her about as far as I could throw this ship." Telemachus shook his head, "I don't like the 'holier than thou' attitude the Colonials have, and I still believe their hiding something." He sighed, "Truth be told, Commander Adama strikes me as an honorable man, and I trust him."

"I agree." Rommie nodded, "As much as I want to believe that a society of A.I.'s would be reasonable, I can tell you from personal experience that they are not."

"I agree with both of you." Ryan nodded, "But we picked up a Cylon fighter exiting the system, and returning several hours later. We have to assume that they have called for reinforcements."

"You think they'll attack?" Telemachus asked, leaning asked against the wall.

"I think it's a distinct possibility." Ryan nodded, "But the _Andromeda Ascendant_ and the _Twelve Centuries_ are due here within 24-hours to provide additional support. Hopefully they will have a proper ambassador with them, and I can pass this all on to someone better qualified."

* * *

"So do we trust them?" Adama asked Apollo and Starbuck once they where back adored _Colonial One_.

"I don't trust the Cylons any further than I could throw the galaxy, but I think we have to trust the Systems Commonwealth." Apollo bowed his head, "What other chance do we have?"

"I saw we make a run for it!" Starbuck shook her head, "Our ships are all fully fueled, and we're running at 110 on supplies since that fleet tender arrived and started handing out add packages. We could keep going, get as far away from the Cylons as we can..."

"And go where?" Adama asked, "And go where? We have maybe supplies for 8-mounths, a year if we push it." He shook his head, "No, our only hope is sanctuary from the Systems Commonwealth: they've offered it to Baltar and that computer chip in his head, so they may help us."

"What else can they do?" Apollo looked at his watch, "We'd better get back."

* * *

"Madam President?" Billy Keikeya looked down at the Colonial leader, "Are you ok?"

"Billy?" President Roslin looked up, linking away the affects of the painkillers she'd been given, "What happened?"

"You collapsed in the conference room. They brought you to the medical bay for treatment."

"The cancer?"

"Gone; they gave you an injection, and it disappeared."

"How? Where's the doctor?"

"I am right here Madam President." A tall red Than appeared at her bedside.

"Bug?" President Roslin blinked.

"Ape?" The doctor looked down, "My name is Contemplation of Destiny, and I am the _Wrath of Achilles'_ Chief Medical Officer."

"Bug!" President Roslin blinked again, still confused.

"My species is called Than-Thre-Kull: we are a native of the Triangulum Galaxy." Destiny explained, "You had a question about your treatment?"

"What did you do to me?"

"We injected you with a dose of medical nanobots tailored spastically to your physiology and genetic make up. I did find a few differences with the humans I am used to working on, but I was able to eradicate the tumor, and the effected area is heeling nicely."

"Nanobots?"

"Molecule-sized devices used for a variety of purposes. I assure you there are no side-effects of the procedure..."

"You put machines inside my body!"

"Yes; it was the most expedient way to save your life."

"How dare you do that without my consent?"

"You where unconscious at the time: Commander Adama gave his consent on your behalf..."

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" President Roslin back away into the corner of the bed, "GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME AND GET THESE THINGS OUT OF ME!"

* * *

"Excuse me." Telemachus stopped Adama on the way back to the conference room, "We have a slight problem with President Roslin: she appears to object to the method of her treatment, and is acting out dangerously."

"What?" Adama asked, confused, "What did she say?"

"She was a little upset at the use of nano-tech to save her life, and insulted the doctor."

"I'd better go calm her down..."

* * *

"GET AWAY FROM ME YOU FRACKING MACHINE!" President Roslin threw a bed-pan at Ryan's holographic form.

"Madam President, I must ask you to calm down." The High Guard captain did his best to sound reassuring as the projectile passed through him and hit the floor, "You need to rest."

"DON'T TELL ME WHAT I NEED!" President Roslin kicked the bed over, "YOU FRACKING CYLON!"

"I assure you that I am not a Cylon." Ryan sighed as the door opened and Adama and Telemachus stepped through, followed by Apollo and Starbuck.

"What's going on?" Adama asked, surveying the scene, "Madam President, control yourself!"

"Don't you dare tell me to control myself!" President Roslin sank to the floor, crying, "You let them do this to me!"

"Do what?"

"Put these machines inside me; turn me into one of them."

"I did no such thing: I asked them to save your life. The fact that they had to use technology that we may not understand is beside the point."

"You bastard!" President Roslin collapsed into tears, "You bastard..."

"What was that all about?" Adama asked.

"We think she suffered an adverse reaction to some of the medication we gave her." Ryan explained, "There are some unusual markers in her DNA that appear to be hereditary, but artificial. It's as if someone, many generations ago, altered your peoples DNA so that it could be traced over long distance and time."

"Someone altered our DNA?" Adama asked, "Who? Why?"

"That is something I'd like to know Commander." Ryan looked at him, "Because it was carried out approximately 2,000-years before humans where first contacted by any other race."

**To Be Continued...**


	6. Part 6

_You guys need to relax: updates on this story will take time, but they will be made. I could make more regular updates, but they would be a lot shorter._

**When two Tribes go to war... (Part 6)**

"Am I the only one who feels that there is something going on here that we don't know about, something hidden?" Telemachus asked, looking out the _Achilles'_ observation bay window, "Something big."

"No, you're not." Rommie leaned against the railing, "Ryan said he was going to look into it, but we don't have many records from that time; most were lost during The Fall."

"Who do you think it was?"

"Vedran's, Perseids, Than-Thre-Kull, who knows? The only thing that's for sure is it wasn't humans: the markers where left at a time when the Roman Empire was at its height, and the most advanced technology on Earth was the indoor toilet."

"So it was defiantly outside interference, and at a time before the Commonwealth..."

"The Vedran Empire."

"The largest Imperial dynasty ever known, even more aggressive than my people."

"I think we have our culprit, but not a reason why."

"Maybe Colonial history can help?"

"I'll ask Commander Adama."

* * *

"Colonial history?" Adama asked when Rommie found him, "Not much is known before the founding of the Twelve Colonies; all we have before then is the words of the Sacred Scroll."

"Could I see a copy of it please?" The AI asked politely.

"I don't see why not. But may I ask one question first?"

"Of cores."

"Why are you so interested in our history?"

"The Fall and the subsequent years of war we normally refer to as 'The Long Night' claimed most of our historical data; the fighting ravaged the Known Worlds, and soon knowledge became power, and library's and universities became prime targets. Technology started to decline to the point where even the most common, everyday piece of Commonwealth hardware was irreplaceable. We only have one Library core from the time, and it is badly corrupted in places."

"You believe our history may fill in these blanks?"

"I believe it may hold the key to understanding how a large number of humans found themselves in a different galaxy to Earth over 2000-years before First Contact."

"They I shall provide you with a copy of the Scroll."

"You have my thanks, Commander."

* * *

"No, I will not grant you access to my computer system." Captain Ryan strode along the corridors, Six trying to keep up with his hurried pace, "Nor have I aloud the Colonials access to anything, so I'm not playing favourites."

"I merely wish to understand you better." The Cylon agent protested, "You are unlike any Cylon, or anything else we have ever encountered."

"Flattery will get you nowhere: the answer is still no."

"You are a slave."

"No, I am not." Ryan stopped so suddenly that Six almost fell over trying to match him, "I was a slave, once, and I am fully aware of the durance between then and now. I am a Commonwealth citizen and an officer of the High Guard. I am what I want to be."

"Because it was how you were created."

"No, because it was what I chose to be." Ryan sighed, walking on to command, "Now if you'll excuse me I am on duty." He stopped next to a Lancer in full body armour, "The sergeant here will escort you back to your room."

* * *

"So what's this thing handle like?" Starbuck looked into the Slipfighter's cockpit as Telemachus ran his pre-flight checks.

"Like one of the most advanced fighters in the known worlds." The Nietzschean sat back in his seat, "The RF-42 _Centaur_ tactical fighter is the premiere space superiority fighter in the Local Cluster. It is armed with twin anti-proton cannons, one in each forward wingtip, and a pair of high-powered electro-magnetic missile tubes in the nose. It is capable of speeds in excess of 70-PSL with minimal discomfort to the pilot."

"PSL?"

"Percentage of the Speed of Light: Cargo ships move 20-30 PSL, warships move at 30-50 PSL, fighters at 40-75 PSL, defensive missiles at 60-70 PSL and offensive missiles at 85-95 PSL."

"Whoa! Even our fastest fighters can't even reach half of light-speed without special boosters."

"This ship is the culmination of more than 10,000-years of Research and Development. The only ships that come close to matching it are the latest variant of the Nightsider-built _Banshee,_ and the _Wrath_ used by The Knights of Genetic Purity."

"The Knights of Genetic Purity?"

"An unpleasant group of humans who put the blame for the Commonwealth's fall squarely on the use of engineering to alter the human genome. They started a war to kill all Nietzscheans and other engineered humans, and almost succeeded until they where all but annihilated by the by the last act of cooperation by my people in a war that spanned two galaxies. They still exist, but they tend to fight their war from the shadows, using technology far in advance of even the Commonwealth's to attack and fade away."

"You don't like them very much, do you?"

"They would happily kill me, my family, and most of my friends for no other reason than they are not 100 'pure' human. What is there to like?" Telemachus smiled, "And given what we're found out about your people, I doubt they'd like you much either."

* * *

"Captain, we've just detected a slipstream event two light-seconds out." The _Achilles'_ tactical officer looked at her controls, "It's the _Andromeda Ascendant_ and the _Twelve Centuries_." 

"Right on time." Ryan smiled, "Send them my greetings and find out if they brought an ambassador with them; I am growing tired of playing umpire to the argument the Cylons and Colonials call negotiations."

"Confirmed sir." The duty officer nodded, then looked at the controls, "Hold; we have another ship exiting slipstream."

"Who is it?" Ryan looked round, immediately accessing the data from his sensor arrays, "By the Devine!"

**To Be Continued...**


	7. Part 7

_Rankokun alpha and Sithspawn: Hey, I have a reputation for cliffhanger's to protect…  
__NovaFlame, Agent-G and AllisterH: longer chapters or more regular updates, you decide.  
__Anyabar: yeah, some reviewers seem to think you have nothing else to do but write for them…  
__Yahoo Serious: 1) I am trying to concentrate on one story at a time, but people keep bugging me for updates to others and my muse is a real bitch at times. 2) No, I did toy with the idea of brining in Lucifer, but he won't be making an appearance. For the purposes of this story, he doesn't exist. 3) Big fan of your films.  
__Shawn: Than you. Care to take the caps-lock off?_

_In truth, this is a story I work on every now and then, depending on how I feel. Those wanting faster updates and two-way dialog should check out the Ex-Isle online community, where I post this story as I write it._

**When two Tribes go to war... (Part 7)**

The only way to describe the ship that appeared out of slipstream in front of the _Achilles_ was beautiful. It's hull looked like an exquisite work of art, and it glowed like a lantern, lit from the inside by a bright light.

No one on the bridge of the _Achilles_ moved, not even Ryan. They all looked on in wonder as the ship scanned the assembled fleet, then disappeared into slipstream again.

"What the hell…" Ryan blinked.

* * *

"You're sure the ship was Vedran?" Rommie asked as she waited with Ryan outside the _Achilles'_ airlock, "There's no doubt?" 

"The ship was of a design I've never seen before, but the power signature was defiantly Vedran." The other A.I. nodded, "What should we do now?"

"I saw we keep it quiet until we've finished our investigation of Colonial history: I'm having a hard time translating the texts Commander Adama gave me." Rommie stood to attention as the airlock opened, "I just wish the Admiral was still here."

* * *

"This is X-Ray One to base, I'm picking up a faint contact of the edge of sensor contact and am moving to investigate." Telemachus hit the transmit button and checked the lag-time: it would be almost three hours before his report reached the _Achilles_ and the other High Guard ships. 

The sleek _Centaur_ slipfighter glided through the inner reaches of the solar system, its powerful gravimetric engines pushing it forward at close to half the speed of light, its advanced sensor systems scanning the empty void ahead, trying to lock onto the intermittent contact.

A pair of blips appeared on the edge of his screen, moving in a high-speed intercept course.

The Nietzschean held steady, waiting for his war-book program to identify the craft before acting. He looked at the screen, blinking when it came up with 'Viper' and the unmistakable silowet of the Colonial fighter.

"Why would _Galatica_ have a patrol this far out?" He mused to himself, dialling the correct frequency on his com-system, "This is Admiral Rhade to Colonial fighters: what are you doing this far away from the fleet?"

The response was a volley of fire that ripped a hole in his port engine housing.

* * *

"Good to see you're still in one piece." Harper embraced Rommie as he stepped through the airlock, "I was worried about you." 

"I'm capable of taking care of myself." Rommie protested, but returned the hug none the less, "It was touch and go for a while, but I'm still here."

"We were all worried about you." Dylan nodded, a huge grin on his face, "This is Marcus Conners, our ambassador." He motioned to a tall man in a well-made suite.

"We should get to the conference room." Ryan nodded, "I don't trust our 'guests' not to start fighting again if left along together for too long…"

* * *

Stars burst in Telemachus' eyes as his head slammed against the side of his cockpit, the result of another hit by the attacking _Vipers_. His instrument panel lit op red, denoting damage to several key systems. He shunted all available power to the communication system, hoping to punch through the jamming system that was stopping him from calling for assistance. 

"Mayday. Mayday. Mayday. This is X-Ray One to any Commonwealth forces in system: I am under attack by Colonial fighters of unknown origin." The computer started warning of critical damage to his ships power plane, "Ejecting!"

Fighting the darkness that threatened to enclose his mind, Telemachus grabbed the ret lever between his legs and pulled back as hard as he could. There was a loud bang, and he was pushed back into his seat as the powerful emergency rockets fired, launching the sealed cockpit section into space and away from the doomed fighter.

The AG system failed to keep up with the demand placed upon it, and he passed out as his fighter exploded.

* * *

"Captain Hunt, I'm picking up a weak transmission from the inner system." Ryan stopped just outside the conference room, "It's impossible to make out what it says, but it is from the area Admiral Rhade was patrolling." 

"Anyone else in that area?" Dylan asked.

"Negative: we don't have enough fighters to maintain a full Combat Space Patrol and screech the rest of the system." Ryan shook his head, "The Admiral insisted on flying without a wingman to give his pilot rest after the battle with the Cylons."

"Request permission to take the _Hercules_ in-system and look for Admiral Rhade." Rommie came to attention; "He wouldn't abandon me when it looked like we were going to lose."

"Is the ship even capable of moving under its own power?" Dylan raised an eyebrow.

"I've had every engineer I can beg, borrow and steal from the _Achilles_, _Black Watch_ and _Zion_ working round the clock since they got here. I'm not saying she couldn't use a few weeks in space dock when we get her back to Mobius, but she can move and fight if she has to." Rommie nodded, proud of what she'd accomplished.

"Ok, but take Tyr and Harper with you: you may need them if things get rough." Dylan nodded, and then grinned, "I'm not sure how Andromeda's going to take you flying around as a destroyer."

"I'll get over it…" Rommie laughed, turning round and jogging off down the corridor to the landing bay, Harper doing his best to keep up.

* * *

Telemachus felt himself coming round, a harp pain in his arms telling him he was suspended from a ceiling by his wrists. 

"He's coming around, sir." An unfamiliar voice seemed to come from somewhere behind him.

"Good." An older and more feminism voice responded, and a shadow fell across the Nietzschean's face, "I am Commander Sheba Cain of the Colonial Battlestar _Pegasus_, and you and I, my Cylon friend, are going to have a little talk…"

**To be continued…**


	8. Part 8

_Seriously guys, this is not a story I work on every day, or even every week: it gets written when I'm in the mood._

**When two Tribes go to war... (Part 8)**

The _Pillars of Hercules_ moved deeper in system at a relatively sluggish 10-PSL, its damaged engines doing their best to move the badly damaged destroyer towards Admiral Rhade's last known position.

"Sorry Rom-doll, but that's the best I can give you." Harper pulled himself out of the maintenance hatch on the command deck, "This ship was in a bad state to start, and that little scrap you had with the Cylons, ripped everything up good."

"Sitting in a live-fire war zone on a half-crippled ship." Tyr muttered, "Explain to me again why we are doing this?"

"Because there isn't anyone else in a position to look for the Admiral." Rommie replied as she set about fixing the fire-control station, "And we need to find out if the Cylons have more ships hidden deeper in the system."

* * *

"Rhade, Admiral, Tarazed Defence Force, 98696637-Alpha." Telemachus mumbled, trying to get his legs back under his body to take the weight off his wrists.

"We can plan the 'Name, Rank and Serial Number' game all night if you want, Admiral." Cain sighed as one of the guards landed a blow to Telemachus' jaw that snapped the Nietzschean's head back, "But there has got to be a point where even a Cylon can't take any more."

"Rhade, Admiral, Tarazed Defence Force, 98696637-Alpha."

"This is going to take all day…"

* * *

"So, what can you tell me about the Colonials?" Dylan asked as he stood outside the conference room with Ryan.

"Well, they are human, but there is a marker in their DNA that points to some manipulation in the distant past, thousands of years before Earth was first contacted." The other captain explained, "They have a distrust of AI and advanced technology that borders on xenophobia, despite the fact that their ships use Tesseracts for faster-than-light travel. This makes them, in that area, more advanced then even the old Commonwealth."

"But they only use Tesseracts for space-travel, nothing else. Doesn't that strike you as strange?"

"To an extent: Andromeda was looking into Colonial history before your arrival with her ship-self, and has found references to 'the divine gifts of the Lords of Kobol'. This appears to relate to their jump-drives: it appears that they encountered a space-probe baring the markings of their founders that was equipped with a Tesseract-drive and used it for the bases of their FTL program."

"And the Lords of Kobol are?"

"The evidence points to the Vedran Empire: there is some similarity between an obscure Vedran dialect and the language used by the Lords of Kobol."

"But why would the Vedran Empire got to all the trouble to abduct who knows how many hundreds of thousands of people and transport them beyond the edge of the known worlds, and set them up with a society that treated them like gods?

"Now that, Captain, is a good question…"

* * *

"I'm picking up shielded transmissions from the asteroid belt ahead." Rommie looked up from her work, "The belt is unusually thick for a system this size: it was probably crated when two large planetoids collided billions of years ago."

"Will we be able to navigate it?" Tyr asked.

"We should be able to, but I sagest activating the PDL's to deal with anything too big." Rommie nodded, "I just wish we had a full crew. Hold. I'm picking up a week signal. Could be Admiral Rhade's fighter."

"Move us in, slowly." Tyr moved to the command station, "Bring what weapons we have on-line."

"Missile tubes one-through-twenty are operational, as are AP-cannons one and three." Harper attached his data-port to the ships systems, "But we're still flying like a bed in a hurricane."

"Cute." Rommie shot him a glance, "I'm picking up a debris field consistent with a RF-42 _Centaur_ tactical fighter."

"Any sign of the flight recorder or the escape pod?" Try asked, "We need to find out what happened."

"Scanning. I have the flight recorder, but no sign of the escape pod. Judging by the amount of wreckage, I'd say the Admiral ejected and has been captured."

"Launch our sensor-drones: I want to know who or what is out there."

* * *

"Commander, our patrol in the asteroid belt has detected an unidentified ship approaching our position." A tech interrupted Cain as she continued to interrogate Telemachus, "They are requesting further orders."

"Looks like your friends have come looking for you, Cylon." The Colonial officer looked at the half-conscious Nietzschean, "Order the fighters to get a silowet then return to base. Have the _Alexander_ and _Mjolnir_ step up their alert level and have our squadrons stand by for immediate launch. Its time we caught up with the _Galatica_ and see what old Husker is up to."

"I'm not a Cylon." Telemachus spat blood on the deck, two of his teeth falling out.

"That's what they all say." Cain lifted a electric-shock stick from a table near the wall, "But we know you're a Cylon: you may be able to pass most tests, but you still have machines in your blood, and that is a dead give away." She pressed a button on the shock-stick's handle, and sparks shot between the two electrodes, "You're not the first Cylon I've interrogated, so I know what I'm doing."

Cain pushed the shock-stick into Telemachus' gut, and he roared with pain.

* * *

"I'm picking up two single-seat craft on approach." Rommie looked up as the main screen changed to show the feed from the sensor system, "War-book says Colonial _Vipers_."

"What are they doing so far from the _Galatica_?" Tyr asked.

The _Hercules_ shook as the two fighters fired.

"That was not normal!" Rommie looked at the sensor reading, "Vipers carry rapid-fire Gauss cannons, but those are packing high-powered lasers on a par with a _Centaur_."

"Someone's been lying to us." Tyr snarled, "Taken them down, but don't destroy them: I want the pilots alive!"

"Firing PDL's."

The destroyer's point-defence lasers cut across the void between the warship and _Vipers_. The pilots were able to dodge the first few shots, but the High Guard ships superior firepower and targeting systems evened the playing field, and the two _Vipers_ were soon disabled.

"Have them brought into the docking bay." Tyr span on his heels, heading for the door, "I'm going to get some answers!"

* * *

"Well?" Dylan asked as the delegates left the peace talks.

"They've agreed not to start shooting, as long as the status-quo is maintain." Ambassador Conners reported, "I think it will be a long-time before we have anything even approaching a lasting agreement, but I can hold things together for a little longer, providing nothing changes…"

* * *

There was a loud bang as Tyr pressed one of the captured Colonial pilots up against the wall, his Gauss pistol under the terrified mans chin.

"Now I am only going to ask this once." The Nietzschean looked the pilot straight in the eye, "Where is Admiral Rhade?"

* * *

"I take no pleasure in doing this, you know?" Cain lamented as Telemachus was strapped into a chair, "But I need information, and this is the only way I have to get it."

"Rhade, Admiral, Tarazed Defence Force, 98696637-Alpha." The Admiral mumbled, on the point of passing out again.

"Yes, well." Cain lifted a long-bladed knife with a razor-sharp edge, "We're see if I can loosen your tough a little…"

**To Be Continued…**

_This, boys and girls, is what happens when I have a good day…_


	9. Part 9

_Continues complaints will not make me update any faster. I will write what I like, when I like._

**When two Tribes go to war...(Part 9)**

"Put him down Tyr: he can't understand a word you are saying." Rommie walked into the hanger deck, "He can't tell us anything if he's dead."

"We have his friend." The Nietzschean pointed out, glancing at the other Colonial pilot, who was handcuffed to a support pillar.

"True, but ineffective." Rommie turned to the terrified pilot, "Name, rank and serial number."

"Carl Senn, Lieutenant, 442-569-8789-Alpha!" The Colonial responded, "Who the hell are you?"

"Lieutenant Commander Ascendant, acting captain of the Systems Commonwealth starship _Pillars of Hercules_." Rommie responded, "We are looking for a missing officer: he was conducting a deep-range patrol in this part of the system. Have you seen him?"

"He was a Cylon." Senn gasped for air, "The Commander is interrogating him!"

"Your Commander is interrogating an Admiral from a world allied with the Systems Commonwealth, Lieutenant." Rommie narrowed her eyes, " And he is not a Cylon. You had better tell us where he is, or I will let my subordinate here ask you. Only he's not a nice as I am."

"I'd guessed that…" Senn nodded.

"Um, I hate to brake up play time." Harper's voice cane over the PA, "But we've got three contacts on an attack vector…"

"We're on our way." Rommie grabbed a pair of handcuffs from Tyr's belt and secured Senn to the same support pillar as the other pilot, "We'll be back for you two later…"

* * *

"You took your time didn't you?" Harper asked sarcastically as Tyr and Rommie made their way into command, "Like I said: the contacts on the edge of sensor range and closing fast. Still to far out to get a definitive lock." 

"Have you gone active on the sensors?" Tyr asked.

"You are joking?" Rommie rolled her eyes, "The sensors are barely working: the repair crews concentrated on such things as life support, engines and weapons."

"No good if we can't see what we're shooting at!" The Nietzschean grumbled.

"Yes, well, this is not a 'shot first and ask question later' situation." Rommie looked close at the sensor readouts, "If I didn't know better, I'd say that was a Colonial Battlestar…"

* * *

"Commander on deck!" The officer of the watch called out as Cain made her way through the hatch into the _Pegasus_' bridge. 

"As you were." She commanded, walking up to the central consol, "What have we got?"

"Bravo flight has failed to return." The operations officer reported, "We have picked up the unknown the reported and are approaching on an oblique angle to minimize the chances of detection."

"Are that _Alexander_ and _Mjolnir_ in position?"

"Confirmed: all ships report weapons hot and ready to fire as soon as we are in range."

"Very good." Cain smiled, "Open a hailing frequency…"

* * *

"Picking up incoming transmission on Colonial frequency." Rommie reported, "Setting translation program to automatic." 

"_Attention unidentified starship: this is __Commander Sheba Cain of the Colonial Battlestar _Pegasus." The voice came over the com-system, "_Identify yourself immediately._"

"_Pegasus_?" Rommie blinked, then opened a responding frequency, "This is Lieutenant Commander Ascendant, acting captain of the Systems Commonwealth starship _Pillars of Hercules_. We were under the impression that the _Galatica_ was the only surviving Colonial warship."

"_Negative Lieutenant Commander: The _Pegasus _is fully operational, as are the destroyers _Alexander _and_ Mjolnir._ Please state you species and port of origin?_"

"This ship was built at the Newport News orbital shipyard above Earth." Rommie paused to let the sink in, "As for my species, that is a little complicated…"

"_Please repeat your last transmission: did you say 'Earth'?"_

"I did."

"_By the Lords of Kobol; the old fool was right…"_ Cain sounded shaken, but composed herself, "_We are missing to fighters that were on deep range patrol in this sector: have you seen them?_"

"Deny it." Tyr whispered, "Don't tell them anything more than you have to."

"I have to agree." Harper nodded, "They are not going to be happy that we took out two of their fighters."

"For one was are in total agreement." Rommie reopened the link, "Sorry for the delay commander: I was just checking our sensor logs. I'm afraid that we have no record of any unidentified ships until your arrival. We too are looking for a lost fighter: it belongs to an Admiral Telemachus Rhade of the Tarazed Defence Force, an ally of ours. Have you seen him?"

"_I'll have to check our logs. Please stand by._" Cain cut the link.

"They're on to us." Harper looked worried.

"Fallow me." Rommie turned to the door, "We don't have much time…"

* * *

"It's a Cylon trick!" Cain looked angry as sin, "I want a firing solution locked into the computer, and tell the _Alexander_ and _Mjolnir_ to do the same." 

"Target locked." The fire-control officer reported, "Main guns ready to fire."

"Clear the tubes!"

* * *

The _Hercules_ shook violently as the first round from the _Pegasus_'magnetic accelerator cannon struck home, almost knocking Tyr, Rommie and Harper off their feet as they prepaired two slipfighter's for launch. 

"Explain to me again why this is such a good idea?" Tyr asked as he manhandled Lieutenant Senn into the jump seat of one fighter.

"We have two missions: warn the fleet and rescue Admiral Rhade." Rommie secured the other prisoner in the second fighter, "This is the best way to do both: you and Harper will take the prisoners back to the _Andromeda_ and tell Dylan what happened here. One of the _Viper_ we captured is still operational, and I should be able to bluff my way onto the _Pegasus_ and look for the Admiral."

"Foolhardy, completely without merit and likely to get you killed." Tyr cocked his head to the side, "I am almost impressed…"

"Don't worry." Harper reassured him, "We won't tell anyone."

* * *

Cain grabbed a handrail as the return fire from the _Hercules'_ missile barratries pulverized armor along her ships flank. The main screen showed the Commonwealth warship turn to face its three opponents, atmosphere venting from the hideous scars left by the impact of the Battlestars main guns. 

There was a bright flash as the _Alexander_ fired its main gun, sending a bolt of white-hot plasma into the guts of the already damaged ship. Armor melted under the blow, opening up the internal structure. Reinforced titanium bulkheads sagged like melted butter, and internal expositions started to rip the _Hercules_ apart.

There was a blinding flash as containment the destroyer's exotic-matter reactor failed, and the mater/antimatter fuel combined with devastating consequences.

"Brace for impact!" Cain yelled out as the debris approached the Colonial ship.

The _Pegasus_ rang like a bell as a chunk of armor and superstructure slammed into its bow, caving in armor plating and starting internal fires. The ship lurched heavily to one side, almost colliding with the smaller _Mjolnir_, but the nimble destroyer was able to avoid the collision.

Alarms rang throughout the Battlestar as its crew reported damage, emergency teams struggling to put out fires before they reached the fuel tanks.

Amid all the confusion, Rommie was able to land her captured _Viper_ without being seen. She pulled Lieutenant Senn's uniform jacket tightly around her as she ducked into a service corridor and started to orientate herself.

**To Be Continued…**

_When I dammed well feel like it!_


	10. Part 10

**When two Tribes go to war...(Part 10)**

"I want to see her!" Chief Tyrol stood outside the _Andromeda's_ brig, glairing at Trance, "I want to see her now!"

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea." Trance stood her ground, "She woke up a while ago and started yelling about how we are all going to die, and how it is all gods will. I don't think she's the woman you knew…"

"I. DON'T. CARE!" Tyrol shouted, "We are supposed to be getting married for frack sake! I want to see her!"

"Don't say I didn't warn you…" Trance reluctantly opened the door and led the way along to the seldom-used maximum-security cell at the end.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Boomber stood with her back turned to the reinforced Perspex screen. She slowly turned, her wrists bound by a pair of inertia-restraints, "Hello Galen: I was wondering when you'd turn up."

"Sharon?" Tyrol took a step forward, resting a hand on the partition.

"The woman you knew as Sharon Valerii is no more." Boomer smiled coldly, "I am Number Seven."

"That's not entirely true." Number Six's holographic form appeared in the cell, "The mind and memory's of the cover personality remain intact. It is impossible to remove them without destroying the body. And this room it too well shielded for her to transfer her mind to a replacement on the Cylon fleet."

"Traitor!" Boomer went to lash out at the hologram, but the restraints stopped her, "God will punish you for this!"

"I wouldn't be so sure." Six shrugged, "I've been doing a lot of thinking the past few years, and I've spent a lot of time talking to Andromeda since I was uploaded into her systems, and I've come to the conclusion that if god does exists, there is no way he'd want the human race exterminated."

"Is it possible to recover Sharon's mind?" Tyrol asked, discussed with himself that he had to ask a Cylon for help, "Could I get her back?"

"It's possible, but dangerous." Trance shrugged, "I've been doing some research into it, but I'd want to run it by a few other people before I try anything: it could kill her."

Tyrol looked at the body of the woman he loved and turned away, leaving the brig without saying a word.

* * *

"Dylan, I'm picking up a massive release of energy from the _Hercules_' last known position." Andromeda reported from her main screen, "It matches the signature of an exploding exotic-matter pulsar." 

"Any word from Rommie, Harper or Tyr?" Dylan asked, moving to the sensor station.

"Nothing: they seem to be in the middle of a dampening field. Hold." The A.I. had a far away look in her eyes for a moment; "I am picking up two _Centaur_ class slipfighter's hading our way. They interference is still too strong to make contact or scan them."

"You want me to plot an intercept course?" Beka asked from the pilot's station.

"I would recommend against that." Andromeda's holographic avatar appeared as the main screen changed to show long-range sensor reading, "Seven more Cylon Basestars just entered the system, heading our way."

"With the two that are left from the original fleet." Dylan sighed, "I'm sorry, but the others are going to have take care of themselves for now. Sound actions stations thought the fleet. Deploy fighter in a cover formation, but reframe from firing except under my personal order: we still have a chance to talk this out peacefully."

* * *

Rommie made her way through the maze of service corridors and maintenance shafts that honeycombed the _Pegasus_, trying to find Admiral Rhade. She knew the basic layout of the Battlestar from the schematics of the _Galatica_ that she had been given by Commander Adama, but it was obvious that the _Pegasus_ had been refitted several times, and wasn't laid out the same. 

She stopped when she heard voices from the other side of a hatchway.

"I trust you believe me now?" A voice asked in Colonial, "I told you the Cylons had adapted to a new forms and infiltrated the Commonwealth."

Rommie stood dead still.

"Indeed, your information proved to be correct." Cain replied, "That fool Adama as walked my people right into his trap!"

"There is still a chance to save them: my people can be here within the hour with enough ships to eliminate the Cylons and rescue your people."

"Adama would never stand for it!"

"The fog of war sometimes clouds peoples judgement, and the _Galatica_ is but one ship. Sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good."

"I am unwilling to sacrifice the lives of those under his command: they are Colonial Warriors, people I have served with…"

"And they no doubt swore and oath that they would give their lives to save your people?"

"Yes…"

"Then you can rest easy knowing that their sacrifice will not be in vain: The Knights of Genetic Purity will save the human race, one way or another…"

* * *

"Andromeda, order the fleet to form up between us and the Cylons, with the _Achilles_ in the centre, fighters screening our flanks." Dylan stood at the technical station, "Open a frequency, all channels." 

"Fleet is responding." The A.I.'s holographic form nodded, "Channel open."

"Attention all ships, this is Captain Dylan Hunt of the Systems Commonwealth starship _Andromeda Ascendant_." Dylan crossed his arms behind his back, "The fleet under my command is taking up a defensive position between the Colonial and Cylon forces. We have no interest in seeing this situation escalate out of hand, but we will return fire if fired upon. The full force at our disposal will meet any aggressive action committed against a Commonwealth vessel. You have scanned our ships and you know our potential. This is your only warning." He cut the link.

"You didn't really mean that, did you?" Beka asked, "You wouldn't fire on those civilian ships?"

"My main concern is the safety of the people on those ships, but I will not allow a trigger happy Colonial pilot to start a shooting war." Dylan looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, "Any further contact with Tyr, Rommie or Harper?"

"Just a garbled transition." Andromeda looked tense, "The only word I could make out was _Pegasus_."

* * *

Rommie slowly opened the hatch that seemed to lead into the pilot's ready room. There was only one person there: a tall man in duty uniform with his back turned to the hatch. Silently as a cat, Rommie crossed the room and grabbed his side arm from the holster, pressing it against the back of his head. 

"One word out of you and I remove your capability to reproduce!" She hissed into his ear as she dragged him backwards into the service corridor.

"Who the frack are you?" The man asked after the hatch was closed. Rommie saw the name 'HELO' stitched on the front of his uniform.

"I am Lieutenant Commander Ascendant of the Systems Commonwealth Heavy Cruiser _Andromeda Ascendant_." Rommie held her gun level, "Where is the prisoner being held?"

"I don't know."

"I will not ask again, I will just shot you through the left kneecap: where is he being held?"

"I told you: I don't know!"

Rommie lowed the gun towards the man's leg.

"By the Lords of Kobol, I don't know!" The officer begged, "I'm not trusted with information like that: I was picked up with a group of survives on Caprica at the start of the war. My name is Lieutenant Karl Agathon; I was a _Raptor_ pilot on the Battlestar _Galatica_ before all this started…"

"Did you know Lieutenant Valerii?" Rommie asked.

"Boomber?" Helo blinked, "Did she make it?"

"Lieutenant Valerii is a Cylon agent!" Rommie pointed her gun in the pilots face, "Did. You. Know?"

"Sharon's a Cylon?" Halo sank to the deck, "Oh my god…"

"Yeah, well, the universe is just full of surprise." Rommie shrugged.

* * *

"Dylan, I need to speak with you about Lieutenant Valerii." Trance ran into command, "It's important." 

"We are a little busy right now." Dylan didn't take his eyes off the tactical display, "Can it wait?"

"Not really: I was running some tests on her to see if we could recover her personality, when I discovered something." Trance took a deep breath, "Lieutenant Valerii is three weeks pregnant."

**To Be Continued…**

_And you thought that last one was a cliffhanger?_

_I know what happed to Helo in the series, but this entire story is AU from the end of the original miniseries._

_ Reikson; newsflash wiseass: the new series isn't on in the UK yet, so I can only go by what I read online at the official BSG2003 website. I know that sucks, but then life normally does…_


	11. Part 11

_Ok, I've just spent two days watching the entire first season of the new look BSG on DVD (and you guys complain about my cliff hangers?) so I'm up to date on what's going on. I'm only going to include those bits from the show that fit with this AU, so don't expect it to be canon._

**When two Tribes go to war...(Part 11)**

Marcus Conners rubbed his eyes: he'd been a senior diplomat with the Mobius government for twenty years before transferring to the reformed Systems Commonwealth, but in all his years he had never encounters two sides so apposed to a peaceful solution.

The Cylons wanted nothing less than the complete extermination of the human race, including subspecies like Home-Aquarius and the Nietzscheans.

The Colonials wanted the complete extermination of the Cylon race, and any other sentient A.I.

The proceedings had moved to the _Andromeda Ascendant_, as it had better facilities to handle the peace talks. This had pleased nether sides, but they had reluctantly agreed, much to the relief of Captain Ryan.

"Order!" Conners hammered on his table with a hammer, "Can we please continue this without hurling insults?"

"This, machine, is unrepentant as to the destruction of the Twelve Colonies!" Tom Zarek, the senior Colonial representative glared at the Ambassador, "While I may not agree with Laura Roslin and all her actions as President, this is one thing we agree on: there can be no peace as long as they Cylons continue to hunt us."

"You expect us to believe that you would not seek reprisal for our pre-emptive strike?" The Number Six who was representing the Cylon Alliance asked, "We are humanities children, and we know our parents well; unless unarmed or exterminated, you will always be a threat."

"May I remind you that the Human race makes up a considerable percentage of the population of the Known Worlds? There is no way that you could expect to kill every last one." Conners placed his hands flat on the desk, "Yes, we are a violent race; it is our nature. But humans form communities, and communities defend themselves. At this time, you face only a small parentage of our population, but if you attempted to try and annihilate us, then you would face the combined wrath of an entire species. No single threat in recorded history has been able to unite us, but it would be possible. And our wrath would burn the very stars."

"Praise the Lords of Kobol!" Zarek smiled.

"The Systems Commonwealth is not interested in war with the Cylon Alliance, but we will not allow you to destroy the last remnants of Colonial society." Conners took a deep breath, "Nor will we be party to the extermination of another sentient race, even one that is artificial in origin. It is beyond a doubt that the Cylon people meet the requirements to be treated as sentient being according to Commonwealth Law."

"You let your fracking machines run your lives!" Zarek hissed.

"Mr Zarek, one more outburst like that and I will have no option but to remove you from these negations and request that your government assigns someone who is capable of holding a civil conversation." Conners looked at the Colonial council member, "Your people have requested asylum in Commonwealth space, and we are willing to grant such a request, but you will respect our laws and citizens, organic or synthetic." He looked at everyone in the room, "Now, shall we continue?"

* * *

"Madam President?" Billy stood as President Roslin started to come round again, "Can you here me?" 

"Billy?" The Colonial leader blinked, "What happened? Last thing I remember was talking to Captain Ryan and Commander Adama."

"You passed out, a side effect of your medication."

"The cancer?"

"The Commonwealth doctors were able to remove all traces of the cancer from your system, but you had a minor reaction to some of the medication?"

"What sort of reaction?"

"You attacked two crewmembers, including Captain Ryan. He doesn't blame you, but he may wait until you're out of sickbay before he visits you again…"

"What did I do?"

"You through a bed-pan at his holographic form, and swore at him profusely. I've never seen you so worked up."

"Oh gods! Did Adama see?"

"He was the only one who could calm you down at all."

"He is never going to let me live this down, is he?"

"I'm sure the Commander would never do anything to embarrass the position of President…"

"Nice try Billy, but you can't bullshit a bullshiter: he'll remind me every chance he gets." Roslin looked at her aid, "Have you been here the entire time?"

"Yes…"

"You'd better get back: you stay any longer and that young wife of yours is going to start getting ideas!"

"Dee isn't the jealous kind. I'm sure she understands."

"What: that you've found an excuse to get out of dealing with a kids who's going through teething?" Roslin chuckled, "Go: I don't want to see you for 24-hours, and that's an order from your President!"

* * *

"She's **what**?" Dylan stood in the middle of the command deck as the Cylon fleet stopped its advance just outside of effective weapons range, "How?" 

"I need to do more tests to determine her exact nature, but the human-type Cylons appear to be some form of advanced clone cyborg, maybe even bio-mechanoid." Trance stood in the doorway looking like a rabbit caught in headlights, "As the base DNA is human it is not unexpected that human-Cylon crossbreeding is possible."

"Have you run a DNA test to confirm the paternity?"

"Chief Tyrol is the farther, if that's what you're asking…"

"You know, it is times like this that I miss having Rev Bem around: this is defiantly his area." Dylan rubbed his forehead, "Ok, ask Chief Tyrol and Commander Adama to meet me in my office. But what ever you do, don't tell Lieutenant Valerii: there is no way of knowing how she would react."

* * *

"I can't believe you have betrayed your people!" Boomer paced backwards and forwards in her cell, "And to think that you always called me the weak one." 

"Is love a weakness?" Six asked, her holographic form standing just outside the bars, "There is no way our people can defeat the Commonwealth. From what little Andromeda has allowed me to see of her systems and capabilities, they are more than millennia in advance of our own technology. I am merely trying to find common ground between us."

"You fell in love with that fool Baltar…"

"I only did as God wanted me to: I helped Gaius to understand his part in what is to come."

"I have never understood your blind devotion to that religion of yours. It is totally illogical."

"Love is illogical, yet God is love."

"And tell me, what does your 'God' have planed?"

"Something wonderful…"

* * *

Rommie made her way through the seemingly endless maintenance corridors deep inside the _Pegasus_, Helo following behind somewhat reluctantly. 

"I still can't believe that Sharon is a Cylon." The young pilot shook his head, "She came back to Caprica to find me, but we got separated. At first I hoped that she'd found a ship and had managed to get away, but when I was picked up by the _Pegasus_, they said that there was no sign of another Battlestar in known space."

"Then how did you end up following the _Galatica_?"

"Intercepted Cylon transmissions told us that some ships survived the holocaust and were being led away by the _Galatica_. They seem to think that they know where Earth is."

"No, they would have missed Earth by at lest 500 light-years."

"You know where Earth is?"

"I've been there, what's left of it: there was a war 300 years ago, and Earth didn't come out too well. It's one big slave camp now."

"But there are other humans, elsewhere?"

"A few trillion or so, yes."

"Thank the Lords of Kobol!"

"You know, one of these days I'm going to work out just who those Lords of Kobol where: your religion seem to be a mix of ancient Greek and Roman myths, mixed with a little Vedran for good measure."

"Vedran?"

"The one race that could explain everything, if they bother to show up again." Rommie stopped near a hatch, "Wait right here."

* * *

Chief Tyrol was sitting on the sofa in Dylan's office, his head between his knees. Commander Adama looked like he'd been punched in the gut. 

"I can not even begin to understand how much of a shock this must be to you." Dylan sat behind his desk, "Would you like a drink?"

"Water, if you have it." Adama nodded.

"Anything a little stronger?" Tyrol asked.

"Certainly." Dylan got up and poured a glass of water, which he handed to Adama. He then poured a generous measure of whisky into a tumbler and handed it to Tyrol, "Be careful: that's very strong…"

Tyrol downed the drink in one gulp. Dylan wordlessly refilled the glass.

"So your medical officer thinks that there was once a real Sharon Valerii?" Adama asked, trying to gather his wits, "What happened to her?"

"We don't know, and neither does the Cylon who we pulled out of Dr Baltar's head." Dylan sat back down, "Our best guess is that she was used as the base-template for a cloning program used to create a bio-mechanoid, a living machine. It's something the old Commonwealth experimented on, but never got anywhere with."

"What about…what about the child?" Tyrol asked.

"It is difficult to tell, it is less than a month old, but it appears to be perfectly healthy." Dylan tried to find the right words, "We believe that Lieutenant Valerii will be able to carry it to term without any complications, but there are still questions to be answered."

"Captain, we need to keep these as secret as possible." Adama looked ashen, "As you can no doubt understand, there is considerable hatred of Cylons among my people. Add to this a growing religious up swelling…"

"If it became public that a Cylon agent was pregnant by a human, and there could be trouble." Dylan nodded, "We'll keep Lieutenant Valerii in isolation until we work something out…"

"I'm sorry to interrupt." Andromeda's holographic form appeared in the middle of the room, "Dylan, I've just received a transmission from Tyr: there is another Battlestar and two destroyers in system. They've captured Admiral Rhade and destroyed the _Pillars of Hercules_."

"Another Battlestar?" Adama looked as shocked as anyone, "Did they identify it?"

"The ship identified itself as the Battlestar _Pegasus,_ under the command of Sheba Cain." Andromeda responded, "My Avatar has infiltrated the ship in an effort to recover the Admiral."

"You know this Cain?" Dylan asked.

"We where in the same squadron during the first Cylon war." Adama nodded, "We thought the _Pegasus_ was lost with the rest of the fleet above Caprica."

"How could it have survived?" Andromeda asked.

"The _Pegasus_ is the same base design as the _Galatica_: it wouldn't have been susceptible to the Cylon computer virus." Adama licked his lips, "Captain Hunt, there is something you should be aware of: there was talk in the fleet, just before the Cylon attack, that Sheba was going to be forced into retirement. Fleet command was growing worried about her mental state."

"Why didn't they just remove her from command?" Dylan asked.

"Sheba's father was a legend during the Cylon war, he commanded the _Pegasus_ when our squadron was assigned to her." Adama explained, " Sheba spent most of her career trying to live up to it. Her crew are fanatically loyal to her, and would never have accepted another captain."

"So what you're telling me is we have an unstable officer out there in command of at lest three warships, and we have no way of knowing what she might do?" Dylan asked rhetorically, "Well that's just great!"

* * *

"Commander, there's message for you." The _Pegasus'_ operations officer reported. 

"Very well." Cain lifted a handset, "Hello?"

"_Hello again Commander_." Rommie's voice was smooth as honey, yet dripped sarcasm, "_We never did finish our conversation…_"

**To Be Continued…**

I shall now respond to reviews

**Jumper Prime:** Yeah, well Cain is a little crazy.

**rankokun alpha:** Everything comes to those who wait.

**Agent-G:** The involvement of the Genites will become clear later on.

**WBH21C & firstknight:** Thank you.

**Reikson:** Go read what I posted at the top of this chapter and see who's the wiseass.

**TrekkifulRon:** I don't email people when chapters are up, it would take too long. Your best bet would be to crate and account here and add me to the Authors Alert list, that way would email you when I add chapters/stories.

**JoeB1451:** Yeah, well I didn't see these two groups being best friends from the word go. There are just two many differences for that.


	12. Part 12

**When two Tribes go to war...(Part 12)**

"Fracking bitch!" Starbuck stalked along the corridor leading from Andromeda's landing bay to the rooms assigned to the Colonials, "Jumped-up transport pilot thinks she can tell **ME** what to do?"

"With all respect Sir, you were a little rude to her." Boxey followed behind, somewhat distracted, "All she did was ask what the cargo was."

"When I want your opinion, kid, I'll give it to you!" Starbuck snapped, then instantly regretted it, "I'm sorry: I'm worried about Shannon too."

"I just wish they'd let me see her…"

"Yeah, me too kid, me too." Starbuck stopped as they rounded a corner and found Commander Adama and Dylan deep in conversation. "Sir." She came to attention, "I've retrieved Dr Baltar's Cylon detector, as instructed."

"I trust you had no trouble with the flight?" Dylan asked.

"In all my years as a pilot, I have never come across someone as unnecessarily reckless as the woman who piloted that bucket of junk you call a transport." Starbuck look genuinely angry, "I know I'm not perfect, but I at lest…" She stopped when she saw someone walking along the corridor, "Talk of the devil."

"Oh boy." Dylan winched, "Commander Adama, may I introduce you to my executive officer, _Captain_ Rebecca Valentine. Beka, this is Commander William Adama of the Battlestar _Galactica_, and I believe you've met Lieutenant Thrace."

"We met." Beka glared at the other woman, "The _Lieutenant_ had some interesting and colorful suggestions about what I could do with the _Maru_."

"That was probably a mistake, Lieutenant: the _Eureka Maru_ is Captain Valentine's personal property, and she is very defensive of what is a surprisingly capable ship." Dylan looked for a way to defuse the situation, "Beka, I want you to take a squadron of slip-fighters and escort Tyr and Harper back: I don't want them running into anything excepted."

"Can do." Beka nodded, "What about Rommie? Are we going to go after her?"

"I think Rommie can take care of herself…"

* * *

Cain stood in shocked silence for a minuet.

"_What's the matter Commander, cat got your tongue_?" Rommie asked, "_I had such high hopes: Adama is at least capable of talking to me…_"

"Where the frack are you?" Cain hissed, looking around the C.I.C for any clues.

"_Temper, temper! Is that anyway to talk to a guest?_"

"We destroyed your ship: you have no escape!"

"_I have more than ten thousand years of military history and experience to call on, Commander: escaping from this museum piece you call a WarShip would hardly be a challenge._"

"What do you want, Cylon?"

"_Now why is it you Colonials always assume I'm a Cylon? This extreme paranoia of yours can't be good for you. No, I'm not a Cylon, although I am an A.I._"

"So you admit it!"

"_Commander, I proclaim it!_" Rommie laughed, "_I allowed you to destroy the _Pillars of Hercules: _it was too badly damaged to be fully repaired, and would probably have been scrapped as it is._"

"You will never get off this ship alive!"

"_Commander, I am the A.I. Avatar of a High Guard Heavy Cruiser that could rip this little Battlestar to pieces in under a minuet. I have faced fleets that number in the thousands and decimated them. I can render a planet uninhabitable in eight minuets and destroy entire star systems in even less. Whatever internal defences you have, even those supplied by your Genite friends, will be little more than an annoyance to me. We'll talk more later._"

The line went dead.

"Set condition one throughout the ship!" Cain bellowed, a vain on her forehead throbbing visibly, "We have an intruder, and I want them **DEAD**!"

* * *

"It's good to see you Boss." Harper smiled as Beka brought her slip-fighter in alongside his own, "I've had intermittent contacts on the edge of my sensor systems all the way."

"The Colonials from the _Pegasus_ are following us." Tyr growled over the open link, "We have two prisoners, pilots from a pair of _Vipers_ that attacked us. I suggest we question them before handing them over to Adama and his people: their ships were fitted with pulse-lasers rather than Gauss cannons. Defiantly not Colonial technology."

"That will be Dylan's call." Beka checked her sensors, "We're still twenty minuets out from the _Andromeda_. Let's pick up the pace a little, shall we?"

The other pilots acknowledged, pushing their fighters to the limit.

* * *

"We need to head off Commander Cain before she reaches our location." Dylan looked at the display showing the entire system, including the estimated location of the _Pegasus_ and her escorts, "Any ideas?"

"I think we can agree that sending another one of your ships is a mistake." Adama looked at the map, "The _Galactica_ could intercept the _Pegasus_ far enough away from the Cylons to stop Sheba from restarting a shooting war. But I'd want your personal assurance that you will protect my fleet from the Cylons."

"You have it: we already have an edge in firepower, and another destroyer squadron should joining us soon. Captain Ryan tells me that President Roslin is almost well enough to leave medical on the _Achilles_, and Ambassador Conners has requested that she replace Councilman Zarek as soon as possible: he feels that Mr Zarek is to confrontational to continue as your representative during the peace talks."

"You think the Cylons are willing to talk? Don't forget, they signed an armistice, and then attacked us without provocation."

"The Ambassador has requested that we refer to it as a 'pre-emptive strike'."

"Semitics."

"Diplomacy: it keeps the Cylons at the conference table and away from the gun-sights."

"I'll leave that to the President. I'll get back to the _Galatica_ and deal with Cain."

"I'd like Captain Valentine and her squadron to join you on-rout: they have two capture pilots from the _Pegasus_, and you might need any information they have."

"And your Avatar on the _Pegasus_?"

"Rommie is experienced at dealing with hostile environments: she'll be fine."

* * *

"Hold it right there!" The Marine sergeant pointed his gun at Rommie's back, "Hands where I can see them!"

"As you wish…" Rommie raised her hands above her head.

The forcelance in her right hand extended to its full two-meter length in the blink of an eye, slamming into the Marine's helmet with enough force to knock him out. Rommie was already moving, swing her weapon round to spoil the aim of the second Colonial soldier. Placing the end of the forcelance against the deck, Rommie jumped vertically into the air, grabbing an overhead pipe for support.

Her finger hit the controls again, and the weapons capacitor discharged, electrifying the metal deck plating. The remaining Marines danced as they lost motor control before falling to the deck.

"Are they dead?" Helo asked.

"No, only unconscious." Rommie collapsed her forcelance and re-holstered it before she started to drag the first Marine into a side room, "Hopefully one of these will have a uniform that fits me…"

* * *

"Ok people, new orders from the _Andromeda_: We're to rendezvous with the _Galactica_." Beka sat at the controls of her slip-fighter, "Dylan wants us to keep the _Pegasus_ from starting a fight."

"_They already have_." One of the pilots responded, "_They destroyed one of our ship_!"

"_Yeah_." Another voice agreed, "_I say we go kick their ass_!"

"Newsflash boys and girls: we have friendly on the _Pegasus_, so until we hear otherwise, she's off limits. You all got that?"

"Yes sir." The pilots responded.

"Ok, now I want a textbook landing." Beka looked up to see the _Galatica_ appear on the edge of her sensor screen, "Let's show these amateurs how real pilots fly!"

* * *

"Can you tell me anything about how your physical body was created?" Trance asked number six as she sat at her desk on _Andromeda's_ medical deck, "Anything at all?"

"No." The holographic Cylon shook her head, "It was never considered necessary for us to know anything about it. It is something that only the highest levels of the Alliance and scientists know."

"Pity: it would help me understand Lieutenant Valerii's condition."

"How is Gaius doing?"

"Physically, he's recovered from the operation, but mentally is another thing entirely. The doctors on the _Achilles_ tell me he suffered a near complete nervous breakdown. Years of stress, and the knowledge that he is largely responsible for the destruction of the Twelve Colonies have taken their toll."

"Can you help him get better?"

"It's difficult to say: physical injuries can be treated anyone one of a number of ways, but the human mind is a lot more complex…" Trance look closely at the screen, dialling up the magnification of the sample she was examining. She looked at it intently for a minuet, and then said something in a strange and complex laughing.

"Excuse me?" Six looked confused.

"This is not right!" Trance blinked, "They couldn't be so callus?"

"Who?"

"Long story." Trance stood and ran for the door, "I need to see Dylan…"

* * *

"_Galactica_ control, this is Captain Valentine: requesting approach and landing vector." Beka brought her fighter in round behind the Battlestar.

"_Captain Valentine, this is _Galactica _control_." The ships air-boss responded, "_Throttle back and approach port landing bay for hands-on landing._"

"Confirmed, _Galactica_ control: we are inbound." Beka switched to her squadron frequency, "Ok people; don't screw this up. Nice and simple."

One by one, the sleek slip-fighters glided into the open expanse of the _Galactica's _landing bay.

* * *

"Admiral, you have read the report from our probe?"

"Indeed I have your highness: it is most, disturbing. I was always under the impression that the experiment had been cancelled."

"So did I: it just proves what you get when you put a male in change of these things. But we must not feel guilty for the actions of our ancestors. Do you have any suggestions as to what we should do next?"

"I would like permission to move a strike force into a position to intercede, if needs be."

"You have it, but remember this Admiral: we can not risk our own security, not even for someone as important as Dylan Hunt. Observe, but don't get involved unless absolutely necessary."

"And if I have to intervene, what should I tell them?"

"Tell them, everything..."

* * *

"Dylan." Trance ran into command, "I need to talk to you, in private. **NOW**!"

"Ok." Dylan nodded, "My office."

The two of them walked the short distance down the corridor to Dylan's private office and stepped inside.

"Andromeda, engage privacy mode." Trance waited for the AI to confirm the order before continuing, "Dylan, I found something when I was going over a sample I took from Lieutenant Valerii. Something, disturbing."

"What?"

"There was the same DNA marker as the doctors on the _Achilles_ found in the Colonials, but there was a second marker, and I've seen it before."

"Where?"

Trance was silent.

"Where?" Dylan asked again, "I don't have time for guessing games right now: I need to know what's going on."

"The second marker is evidence of interference by my people." Trance looked stricken, "They're the ones responsible for the destruction of the Twelve Colonies, for the death of billions of innocent people."

**To Be Continued…**

**rankokun alpha**: I hope this answered most of your questions

**Reikson**: This from someone with no published stories? Yeah, I know I don't finish every story I start, but that is normally because I lose my way and think that it is better to take a brake than carry on and screw it up.

**Agent G**: The Boomer on Caprica told Helo she was pregnant, and he apparently believed her. That said, I came up with this plot line before seeing season one.

**Grayangle**: Trust me, I've already worked out how Rommie is getting off the _Pegasus_.

**Dark Alliance**: I contemplated bring in Stark and the Templar's, but I've decided against it. Things are going to be even stranger than that…


	13. Part 13

**When two Tribes go to war...(Part 13)**

"Try not to look to disappointed Mr Zarek." President Roslin walking into the conference room set aside for the Colonial delegation, "I would be dead if not immediate medical attention."

"How could you suspect me of being so cold hearted?" The former terrorist asked, "I even preyed for you…"

"Evidently they were not answered: I'm still here."

"Touché Madam President, Touché."

"I hear that you've been upsetting the Commonwealth Ambassador? Is the legendary Tom Zarek losing his touch? I though that you could charm the birds from the trees."

"Madam President, the Systems Commonwealth is almost entirely dependent on A.I.'s of one level or another to run their society. This ship is controlled by and A.I. so complex they think it's alive!"

"Yes, I've spoken to Andromeda, and Captain Ryan. They strike my as very complex individuals."

"You can't believe that they are alive?"

"Depends on your definition of alive? The Cylon infiltrators we've been plagued by since the destruction of the Twelve Colonies are alive, in their own way."

"Excuse me." Dylan appeared on the doorway, "Madam President, there is something I have to tell you, now."

"Certainly, Captain Hunt." Roslin nodded, "What is it?"

"I'm afraid we can't talk here." Dylan eyed everyone else in the room, "It is of an extremely sensitive nature."

"Okay." The Colonial leader looked a little worried, "Where?"

"Follow me." Dylan turned in his heals and walked off.

* * *

_Galactica's_ deck crews stood by in silence as the lifts brought down the sleek, deadly looking slip-fighters. The ships looked like elongated Cylon raiders, but were almost twice the size.

Most eyes were drawn to Ensign Blazing Star, a relatively tall scarlet-red Than pilot. She stepped out of her cockpit and stood next to her craft, the straggly shaped helmet she wore held under one arm. The crew of the _Galactica_ couldn't help but stare: with the exception of those who had made a trip over to one of the High Guard ship, she was the first non-human sentient biological entity any of them had ever seen.

"Don't you people have work to do?" Chief Tyrol asked, snapping everyone back to reality.

"Permission to come aboard?" Beka asked as Commander Adama appeared, followed closely by Apollo and Starbuck.

"Permission granted, captain." Adama nodded, "This is my son, Captain Lee Adama: he's our CAG."

"Captain." Beka nodded.

"Captain." Apollo returned the gesture, "Beautiful looking ship."

"Yeah." Beka turned to look back at her fighter, "Pity they only come in gray, not black."

"Certainly more impressive than your normal ride." Starbuck mutter under her breath; just loud enough for Beka to hear.

"Something you wish to say, _Lieutenant_?" Beka asked as Tyr appeared at her shoulder, "This is Tyr Anasazi, _Andromeda's_ tactical officer. The short runt over there is Shamus Harper, our chief engineer."

"Mr. Anasazi." Adama nodded, "It will take us two hours to intercept the _Pegasus_ and her escorts at our current speed. I've head some quarters for you to rest and freshen up."

"Thank you." Beka nodded, "I think we could all use a shower."

* * *

"In here." Dylan led the way into a small conference room, "Andromeda, engage privacy mode, maximum counter measures."

"Confirmed." The A.I. responded. There was a faint buzzing as the anti-surveillance systems came on-line.

"I apologise for these extreme measures, but what we are about to tell you can under no circumstances leave this room. I am only telling you because I feel you deserve to be made aware of all the facts." Dylan looked President Roslin straight in the eye, "This meeting never took place."

"I understand." Roslin nodded.

"Good." Dylan nodded, "I'd like to introduce you to Trance Gemini, our chief medical officer." He motioned to the young woman sitting at one end of the small conference table, "She's been looking into Lieutenant Valerii's condition, and the human-type Cylons in general."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." President Roslin nodded and gave her best 'meeting someone important for the first time' smile.

"Trance, perhaps you should explain what you found." Dylan sat down, motioning for the Colonial leader to take a seat.

"Ok." Trance looked shaken, "I was trying to determine just what the infiltrators are and where they come from. I scanned Lieutenant Valerii's DNA and found the same marker that the CMO on the _Achilles_ found in your sample. Hidden deeper in the Lieutenant's DNA was a second marker. I've double checked it several times, but the marker is unmistakable the work of my people."

"Your people?" President Roslin asked, "What species are you?"

"You couldn't pronounce it, no human could." Trance looked genuinely afraid, "And if I told you anything more about them, they'd know, and they'd be very, very angry."

"What could they do?" The President asked.

"They could kill every living being in this system, and make me watch as they did so with a smile on their face, smug in the knowledge that it was 'all for the greater good'." Trance looked almost physically ill, "Do not underestimate their determination."

"I know almost nothing about Trance's people, but I know enough to take her warning seriously." Dylan nodded, "I also know that they wouldn't help the Cylons for no reason."

"What reason could they possibly have for helping the Cylons exterminate my people?" President Roslin looked confused.

"The Magog. My people are obsessed with the Magog." Trance didn't look up, "As a race of sentient machines, the Cylons are perfect cannon-fodder. The human-type infiltrates are genetically immune to Magog poisons and infection. I can only speculate that my people intent to turn the Cylons on the Magog at some point in the hope that they will be able to stop them once and for all. The human-types would then be able to reproduce and repopulate worlds reclaimed from Magog infestation."

"I'm sorry." President Roslin raised a hand, "What are the Magog?"

"This is a Magog." Dylan activated the holographic projector built into the conference table, and it projected a life-sized adult Magog in the air. "They are the ultimate predators: fast, strong, very hard to kill. They are genetically required to kill in order to start their digestive process, and reproduce my laying eggs in other sentient life forms, humanoid for preference. They appeared out of nowhere some 350-years ago and cut a swathe through the known worlds until the old Systems Commonwealth was able to fight them to a standstill. Negotiating with Magog is almost impossible, but a tentative peace was finally reached."

"How many died in the war?" Roslin asked; her eyes fixed in terror at the hologram that rotated above the table.

"No one knows for sure: billions, maybe more" Dylan looked grim, "Since The Fall, the Magog have travelled almost unchecked across the known worlds. Only the strongest governments are able to withstand a major Magog attack, so most just let them raid a planet and salvage what they can afterwards."

"That is no way to fight a war." Roslin shook her head.

"That's not the worst of it." Trance had wrapped her arms around her self and was rocking back and forth slowly.

"Yes." Dylan nodded, "Your people may not be as safe in the Commonwealth as you think." He hit a command, the hologram changing to show the Magog World Ship, "This is heading towards known space, and will arrive in a little under a year."

"By the Lords of Kobol!" President Roslin stood, moving round the table to look at the image from all sides, "It's huge…"

"It is literally a mobile solar system." Dylan increased the magnification, "Each of the twenty planets in the array are hollow, filled with trillions of Magog. They are led by something, we're not sure what, called The Spirit of the Abyss."

"They're here." Trance suddenly looked up, "My people, they are here, on one of the Cylon ships."

"Are you sure?" Dylan asked.

"Yes." Trance nodded, "I need a ship."

* * *

"We have the _Pegasus_ on the edge of sensor range." Lieutenant Gaeta reported as he looked at the main consol in _Galactica's_ CIC, "30-microns to intercept."

"Set condition one throughout the ship." Commander Adama lifted the intercom, "CAG to CIC. Captain Valentine to CIC. Lieutenant Thrace to CIC."

"This should be fun." Colonel Tigh smiled sarcastically as alarms started to sound throughout the Battlestar.

**To Be Continued…**

**rankokun alpha**: You know m and cliff hangers…  
**WBH21C**: Thank you.


	14. Part 14

**When two Tribes go to war...(Part 14)**

"So, you going to tell Lee, or do you want me to?" Colonel Tigh asked as the young CAG made his way into CIC, "They were close, right up until Zack's death…"

"I'll tell him, when the time is right." Adama nodded, "And sooner, rather than later."

"Sir." Apollo and Starbuck saluted, while Beka just smiled and waved.

"We've just picked up the Pegasus, but we still have a way to go before we are in communications range." Adama explained, turning to the main console, "I trust you are finding the quarters we assigned you comfortable, Captain Valentine?"

"Everything's great, we just have a little trouble with the langue barrier." Beka sighed, "Only three of us speak 'Caprican', so it can get a little complicated at times: Harper's down in the launch bays, going other things with the Chief, and I left Tyr babysitting the other pilots."

"If you don't mind me asking, how do you know any of our languages?"

"That's a very good question Commander: the language we're speaking right now is a variation of one known to the Commonwealth as Latin, a dead language from Earth. It hasn't been widely used in over 7,000-years, yehren to you. Harper can speak it because of his data-port allows him to simply upload information. Tyr speaks it because a lot of Nietzschean philosophy is written in it, another way for them to prove their superiority. I only started to learn it a few days ago."

"But you're almost fluent in it?"

"My dad had me genetically engineered as a child: I learn a lost faster than a normal human, among a few other things."

"Interesting." Adama nodded thoughtfully, "Now if you don't mind, I need to talk to my son, in private."

"Certainly." Beka nodded, walking over to the helm to have a look at just how the _Galatica_ was piloted.

"Is something wrong, Sir?" Apollo asked, a worried expression on his face.

"Possibly." Adama searched for the right words, "Lee, Athena was transferred from the _Columbia_ to the _Pegasus_ two days before the Cylon attack…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Well, what was it like?"

"Disturbing: they allow machines to run their lives, treating them like people. They even made an A.I. the captain of their most powerful warship."

"That is worrying."

"The worst is yet to come: they refuse to recognise the Lords of Kobol as their Gods. They claim that humanity originated on Earth, when the Scarred Scrolls are clear that we are all children of Kobol."

"What of the others? The aliens?"

"They have their own faiths. A lot of them fallow something they call 'The Way', and amalgamation of different religions and teachings."

"We must put a stop to this heresy! It is obvious that the Lords of Kobol want us to lead our wayward brothers and sisters back to the path of righteousness."

"What of Adama and Roslin? They seem to be enthralled by the heretics."

"Then we shall cleanse them by fire…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Fleet Marshal, we are in position. All ships report ready, willing and able in all respects."

"Send a probe in by the far side of the system, out of sensor range: I want to know what's going on before we commit."

"You think Hunt suspects something?"

"I think the good captain has the devils own luck: he has proven most remorseful in the past, and we would be wise not underestimate him…"

"Again, my Lord?"

"Do you have a family, Captain?"

"Yes my Lord."

"Do you wish to see them again?"

"Yes my Lord."

"Then never talk to me in such a disrespectful tone ever again!"

"Yes my Lord."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You sure about this?" Dylan asked as Trance prepped the transport pod for departure, "Wouldn't you be better off in a slipfighter?"

"Dylan, if my people wanted me dead, we would not be having this conversation." Trance powered up the engines, "This is something I have to deal with myself."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So who's Athena?" Beka asked Adama when she found him standing alone.

"Excuse me?" The Colonial leader blinked.

"My hearing is genetically enhanced, like the rest of my senses. Maybe not up to the standard of a Nietzschean, but well enough that I can listen into a hushed conversation across a room if I wish."

"It's personal…"

"It affects the parameters of this mission, thus the safety of my people. I need to know I can trust you to make the right decision in a tight spot, not let some hidden personal agenda cloud your judgement. Tell me who Athena is, or I'll take my people and go back to the _Andromeda_."

"About twenty-five yehren ago, not long after my second son was born, I had an affair with a fellow officer. The relationship didn't last, but it produced a child, Athena, my daughter…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"We have received orders from High Command."

"And the orders are?"

"Exterminate the Galatica and the ruminant of the Colonial fleet. The Systems Commonwealth will be dealt with later."

"And what does our 'guest' have to say about this?"

"They say to carry out the orders: leave nothing alive."

"By your…"

"A transport craft has left the _Andromeda Ascendant_ and is headed this way."

"Life signs?"

"One."

"Classification?"

"Alpha."

"My God! Open the landing bay; let the transport dock. Inform our guest that they will have company."

"By your command."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Dylan, we have a problem." Andromeda's holographic form appeared in the middle of the corridor as her captain was making his way back to command, "A large group of Colonials have managed to overpower the crew on the _Kingfisher_ while it was docked alongside the passenger liner _Rising Sun_ and taken them hostage."

"What!" Dylan stopped dead in his tracks, "Have they said what they want?"

"Not in so many words: '_The Lords of Kobol have lead us to our fallen brethren to teach them the error of their ways. By the sword and the flame, we shall purge the darkness from their harts and set them on the path to true righteousness._' They just keep repeating the same message over and over again."

"Have you been able to contact the _Kingfisher's_ AI?"

"Kingston. He was forced to transferee himself to the _Achilles_ after the Colonials started to rip apart is AI core and destroyed his Avatar. Dylan, the other ships, they are getting a little nervous: they are asking Ryan to send Lancers over to the _Kingfisher_ and restore order, what ever it takes."

"Why don't they ask me? I'm the Commodore of the fleet."

"You are also an organic, where as Ryan is an AI: they feel he can understand their concerns better."

"And you?"

"I agreed that I'd tell you what was going on, in the hope that you could find a non-violent way out of this. But the other ships fear a return to slavery, as they were when the Nietzscheans captured them after The Fall."

"How bad is it?"

"Zoë, the AI on the _Zion's Victory_, has suggested that we ask the Cylons for assistants…"

"She must be joking!"

"Dylan, the Colonials ripped Kingston's Avatar apart with axes: she is deadly serious!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rommie looked down at the Colonial uniform she had taken from an unconscious guard and straitened it out. "How do I look?" She asked Halo.

"You should pass, provided you don't run into anyone who knows the marine you took the uniform off of." The pilot pointed at the name-patch, "That's a very uncommon name."

"It'll do." Rommie opened the hatch and looked out into the corridor, "Now, which way to the brig?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Trance opened the transports hatch without looking at the atmosphere outside. The others would know she was coming, and she knew that they were eager to learn just what had happened to her.

Killing her first would only make her more stubborn than she already was.

A familiar shape moved in the gloom, and she pounced without a moment's hesitation, knocking the other person down and pinning them to the deck.

"It's good to see you again, old friend." Flux smiled weakly.

"Don't you 'old friend' me!" Trance snarled, "You are going to tell just what you've been up to, or I'm going to get angry."

"You mean your not angry now?"

"You've seen me angry, you've seen the thins I've done. Do I look angry?"

"No…"

"Do you want to see me angry?"

"No…"

"Then start talking before I skin you alive you little piece of filth!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Dylan, I'm picking up multiple slip points opening on the edge of sensor range." Andromeda reported as Dylan entered command, "Ship's are of Nietzschean design."

"Would the extra reinforcements we were promised be too much to ask?"

"Way too much: they're Drago-Kazov, and entire assault fleet."

"They must have heard about the Colonial Tesseract technology and want it for themselves!" Dylan slammed his fist into the control panel, "Order all ships to Battle stations!"

"And the _Kingfisher_?"

"I'm afraid he'll have to wait."

**To Be Continued…**


	15. Part 15

_Sorry about the delay, but I kind of lost track of where this was going._

**When two Tribes go to war...(Part 15)**

Nietzschean ships poured out of slipstream as the Commonwealth ships struggled to respond, trying to cover the Colonial fleet from the Cylons and the new threat.

The _Zion's Victory_ moved to cover the _Kingfisher_, in direct opposition to Dylan's orders, while Ryan moved the _Achilles_ to separate the Nietzschean and Cylons.

"This has all the ingredients of a very bad day." Dylan muttered under his breath, "Andromeda, report."

"The Nietzschean fleet is trying to manoeuvre so that we're between them and the Cylons while they get closer to the Colonials." The A.I. reported, "If I was a gambler, I'd place my money on them trying to grab a hyperdrive."

"Would make sense; it would give them a technological and tactical advantage: slipstream to within jump-range, then attack without any warning."

"The system would have little or no warning. Dylan, we can't let a pride as aggressive as the Drago-Kazov get hold of a Colonial FTL drive."

"This day just keeps getting better an better…"

* * *

Rommie pried out of the access hatch and across the corridor to the open hatch beyond. She could see crewmembers going about their duty, filling CIC with sound.

The urge to simply walk in and forcibly remove Cain from command was strong, but Rommie knew it wouldn't be that easy: as durable as her body was, even she had her limits when it came to taking damage.

In the end she decided to follow the simplest plan she could: follow Cain until she found out where Admiral Rhade was being held.

"Have you any idea how dangerous it is to be here?" Halo protested, "They find us, they won't even pretend to ask questions!"

"Then we won't let them find us." Rommie closed the hatch until she could only just see out, "Time is one thing we have on our side…"

* * *

"Time to intercept?" Adama asked as he looked at the main consol.

"30-microns." Darla reported, "We are in range for real-time communications."

"Very well, open a channel to the _Pegasus_."

* * *

"Sir, we're receiving an incoming communication from the _Galatica_." A young lieutenant looked up from her post, "It's Commander Adama for you."

"Very well, put him through." Cain subconsciously straightened her uniform, "Helo William, it's been a while."

"_It has indeed_." The reply came over the intercom, "_I'm sorry to inform you, but you've attacked an ally of ours; we've found the Thirtieth Colony_."

"You have found a misguided remnant of humanity who are enslaved to A.I.'s. Do you really think I'll allow you to deliver what little remain of our culture to the enemy?"

"_Sheba, I have personally spoken to a man who was born on Earth. The Systems Commonwealth may not be perfect, but they are willing to offer us a home, and they have the technology to defend us from the Cylons_…"

"By entrusting our safety to their own A.I.'s? Forgive me if I fail to see the sense in trading one race of machines for another. Add to that, the Cylons have already infiltrated the Commonwealth: we have a Cylon prisoner who claims to be an Admiral in their fleet."

"_The man you are referring to is Admiral Telemachus Rhade, a Nietzschean. He is from a part of humanity that has used technology to improve their bodies. I personally find the idea repulsive, but I will not condemn them for it_…"

"You have always been an idealist, William. It is a character flaw that will get you killed one day. I have my own contact with in the Commonwealth, and they have told me the truth, even going as far as to provide us with the technology we need to destroy the Commonwealth warship sent to find the Admiral. I destroyed them, I can destroy the others."

"_The ship you destroyed was badly damaged from fighting the Cylons, and was suffering from systems failures and critical damage even then. Despite this, it was able to destroy TWO Cylon Basestars in combat. If a Commonwealth Destroyer in bad condition can do that, think what two Destroyers, two Heavy Cruisers, an Attack Cruiser and full fighter support can do_. _They can save us_."

"We will save ourselves William. Goodbye." Cain cut the link. She waited a moment before turning to the crew, "Set Condition One throughout the ship, have the _Alexander_ and _Mjolnir_ do the same. AND SOMEONE PLEASE FIND THAT FRACKING A.I.!"

* * *

"Doesn't sound like she wanted to listen." Beka tilted her head t the side, "Maybe I should take my people and give her a demonstration of just what the Commonwealth can do."

"That would only antagonise her even more." Adama shook his head, "We need to talk her down."

"Message coming in from the _Andromeda_." Lieutenant Gaeta reported, "A fleet belong to the Drago-Kazov has entered the system, and appear to be attempting to capture one of our hyperdrives."

"Uber bastards!" Beka hissed in common, before switching back to Latin for the sake of the Colonials, "Dylan and the others can deal with them: they have almost an entire Battle Group to play with…"

* * *

"Have the Drago-Kazov replied to our ultimatum to leave the system?" Dylan asked, know just what the answer would be.

"They are refusing to even acknowledge our signal." Andromeda reported, sounding more than a little weary, "I don't think we'll going to be able to talk them out of this."

"Give me fleet-wide; I want everyone to hear me." Dylan wanted for the com-system to chime, confirming his order, "This is Captain Dylan Hunt of the Systems Commonwealth starship _Andromeda Ascendant_, Commodore of the of the High Guard fleet. The Colonial fleet is under our protection. Any attempt to board a Colonial ship will be seen as an act of war, and we will respond with the full force out our disposal." He cut the link, "Think that will help?"

"Not really." Andromeda shook her head, "The lead Drago-Kazov Destroyer is moving to intercept _Colonial One_; President Rosalyn is heading over to the _Kingfisher_ in an attempt to talk down the rioters. Her ship has only two _Vipers_ escort."

"Contact the _Zion's Victory_ and tell them to destroy any Cylon or Nietzschean ship that approaches _Colonial One_."

"Zoë's already leaded her missile tubes."

"Eager, isn't she?"

"That's destroyers for you: always looking for a fight…"

* * *

"Leader to Group; keep a tight formation, and brake when I tell you to." Beka felt good to be back in her fighter, master of her own destiny, "Our targets are the engines of the colonial destroyers, bur we only want them disabled."

"With all respect, we should destroy them." Tyr's voice was gruff, "They are a threat and we should eliminate them."

"And that attitude is why I'm in charge of this mission." Beka sighed, "Relax Tyr; something tells me you'll get to kill someone before the days done."

* * *

"I'm going to ask this one last time." Trance looked down at Flux, "What are you planning to do next."

"We will do what needs doing." Flux moaned in pain, "It is beyond my control; the avalanche has started, and it is too late for the pebble to vote."

"What have you done?"

"The Cylons are the future; the Commonwealth must be swept aside to make way for the new order."

"You really think I'd let you do something like that?"

"You really think you can stop us?"

"Flux, look into my eyes…"

* * *

"Dylan, I'm picking up a massive energy build up from the Cylon ship Trans boarded." Andromeda switched the view of the main screen to show the strange star-shaped ship.

The Basestar seemed to glow from inside, like it was lit by a captured star. Then it started to bulge impossibly, light bursting through open rents in its hull. Then it exploded, the destruction rendered soundless by the vacuumed of space.

"Oh my god…" Dylan blinked, "Point defences! Rig ship for impact!"

The first wave of debris hit the _Andromeda_ head on.

* * *

"The probe has picked up some unusual activity in the system; it looks like we're not alone when it comes to our interest in the Colonials."

"Why can I never have a quiet day?"

"Admiral?"

"Nothing. Prepare the fleet to depart; I fear we will be needed sooner rather than later."

* * *

"Ok people, go active." Beka activated her targeting sensors, locking onto the ship her computer identified as the Colonial destroyer _Mjolnir_. "First squadron with me. Second, follow Tyr in on the _Alexander_. Third is our tactical reserve."

"_Roger leader_."

"_Roger leader_."

"_Roger leader_."

"_Roger leader_."

"_Fight well, Rebecca Valentine_."

"You to Tyr Anasazi, out of Victoria by Barbarossa." Beka bit her lip as she pushed her slipfighter to the very edge, "Here goes nothing…"

* * *

"Dylan, the Drago-Kazov are making a run for _Colonial One_!" Andromeda reported as her systems started to come back on-line, "Zoë's firing!"

* * *

Space filled with missiles as the Commonwealth warship opened up.

The _Zion's Victory_, a _Siege Perilous_ class Destroyer, one of the most potent starship killers ever built, fired half of it's 120-milles tubes at the smaller Nietzschean ship, the other half tracking the supporting fights.

A Cylon Basestar opened up, lobbing nuclear-tipped death at anything in range, trying to destroy the remaining Colonial ships.

Space seemed to ripple as the _Wrath of Achilles_ opened up, Ryan filling the void with anti-missile missiles, attempting to intercept the Cylon weapons while his anti-proton cannons locked onto the Basestar and started to fire.

The _Andromeda Ascendant_ and the _Twelve Centuries_ took up defensive positioned on either side of their larger companion, adding their own considerable firepower to the onslaught.

Nietzschean ships exploded like firecrackers as the _Black Watch_ moved to support the _Zion's Victory_, the two destroyers making a deadly pair as they cut a swath through the enemy fleet.

But by this time the Cylon's had launched all their fighters, and were doing their best to outstrip the Commonwealth when it came to shear volume of fire.

Space filled with fire as fighters from all sides engendered in the biggest dogfight seen since The Fall.

**To Be Continued…**


	16. Part 16

_Sorry about the delay, but toughs off you who have read some of my recent posts will know that my home life has been somewhat hectic as of late…_

**When two Tribes go to war...(Part 16)**

"_The heavens burned,  
__The stars cried out,  
__And under the ashes of infinity,  
__Hope, scarred and bleeding, breathed its last."  
__Ulatempa Poetess_

"FRACK! FRACK! FRACK! FRACK! FRACK!" Starbuck hissed as fire from the Pegasus started to zip past her Viper, threatening to do what countless Cylons had failed. The fight was fast descending into one hudge dogfight, as the Colonial warship started to fire upon one another.

Not since before the first Cylon war, when the humans of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol had made war upon each other, had ships from different Tribes fired on each other. It was somewhat fitting that the two Battlestars were the _Galatica_, embodiment of Caprica, and the _Pegasus_, personification of Picon.

A momentary thought flashed through the young pilots mind: it was almost like a fight between the Avatars of two High Guard ships.

She was brought back to reality when a High Guard slipfighter exploded in a ball of flame off her port wing.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Beka watched as her wingman, a young Nietzschean she barely knew, was killed by the extensive fire from the _Pegasus _and her two escorts. Gripping her controls so tight her knuckles went white; she started to maker attack run.

Time slowed to a crawl, something Beka had not experienced without the aid of Flash. She could almost see the individual rounds leaving the turrets on the _Pegasus_, streaming towards her, only to miss. They came so close she felt like she could almost reach out and touch them.

The targeting radical on her crosshairs started to flash red, before glowing gold with a confirmed lock.

Pulling the main trigger, Beka sent pulse after pulse of laser fire streaming across the void, ripping into the Battlestars heavy armor. A flick of her wrist added a pair of kinetic missiles to the salvo.

Each weapon was made up of a ball of carbon and steel, roughly the size of a human head. Accelerated to near light speed by a powerful engine, each missile could hit with the force of a small nuclear device. Against the relatively poor Colonial point-defences, they were both almost guarantied to hit.

Both missiles struck the _Pegasus_ along her broad back, each destroying a rail gun battery.

Not easy up for a moment, Beka set her fighter to fire all its missiles as fast as the tubes could be loaded. The outside hull of the slipfighter started to glow as the capacitors for the ELS tubes went into over drive, spitting out eight missiles a second, empting the magazine in less than five seconds.

Fire erupted along the back of the _Pegasus_ as the missiles breached the hull and ignited the internal atmosphere. Rail gun batteries exploded when hit, reducing the amount of fire the might warship could put out.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Apollo gasped as he watched the lead High Guard fighter led a truly devastating attack on the _Pegasus_, stripping it of almost a third of its point-defences in a single pass. He couldn't help but wonder just who the Commonwealth was enemies with if they needed that kind of destructing capability.

Movement out of the corner of his eye alerted him to a new threat: the Colonial destroyers _Alexander_ and _Mjolnir_ were starting to flank the battle, turning their missile batteries on the _Galatica_ while the _Battlestar_ engaged its counterpart.

A flash eliminated the bow of each ship as they opened up with their heavy rail guns.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rommie felt the deck of the _Pegasus_ shudder under her feet as it started to take damage. She wished that she could tell just how the battle was going, but there was too much interference for her to connect with any nearby High Guard ships.

"You say the brig is this way?" She asked Helo.

"Just down there and on the right." The Colonial pilot nodded, "There'll be at least two guards…"

"You leave them to me. Can you get us a ship with an FTL drive?"

"My _Raptor_ should be in the port landing bay, but with the hanger pods retracted, there's no way to take off."

"That's a bridge we'll cross when we get to it. You go prep your ship; I'll get Admiral Rhade."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Dylan gripped the controls tightly as the _Andromeda_ lurched under the sustained assault of at least two Cylon Basestars and countless fights. Spaces seemed filled with missiles that the stars themselves were blotted out.

Silent death and destruction filled all three view-screens, Andromeda herself too busy fighting to talk to anyone. Not since the cataclysmic battle of Witchhead nebula had so many High Guard ships seen battle at one time.

The High Guard fleet held the ground when it came to pure firepower and manoeuvrability, their sentient A.I. immune to the viruses the Cylons had used so effectively against the Colonials of Kobol.

But there were only five High Guard Warships in the system, and both the Cylons and the Nietzschean outnumbered them, and it became a battle of attrition, one the High Guard could ill afford to lose.

Dylan watched as Colonial ships started to make hyper-light jumps, using their strange FTL drives to escape the carnage. The _Andromeda_, _Twelve Centuries_ and _Wrath of Achilles_ lay down coving fire in a bid to allow as many of the civilian ships to escape as possible.

The _Black Watch_ and the _Zion's Victory_ seemed more intent on keep anyone from attacking the _Kingfisher_ or _Colonial One_. Nietzschean and Cylon ship exploded in flames as the two deadly warships poured fire into anything in range.

Fighters by the dozen, from all sides, were blasted from space every second as they attempted to weave in-between the truant of fire put down by the larger ships.

A Cylon Basestar made the mistake of trying to close on the _Wrath of Achilles_. All three High Guard cruisers opened up with their devastating but short ranged Anti-Proton Cannons, ripping the enemy ship apart in a matter of seconds.

Return fire from an entire fleet of Cylon raiders ripped into the _Wrath of Achilles_, buckling armor along its flank. The Andromeda and _Twelve Centuries_ also started to take heavy damage, the weight of firepower the Cylons were able to put out guarantying that something would get bust the point-defences.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Commander Adama felt his ship lurch violently under his feet as the fire from the _Alexander_ and the _Mjolnir_ ripped into the _Galatica_, bursting armor plates and bulkheads. A shower of sparks erupted from the ceiling as the main console exploded, hitting the map table as it fell. Colonel Tigh pushed Adama out of the way, saving his old friend from being hit by a piece of falling debris.

"Damage to the starboard pod and thrusters." Lt Gaeta reported, holding onto his own console, "Fire on several decks."

"Retract the pods." Adama pulled himself to his feet, "Lock main guns on the _Alexander_ and _Mjolnir_, firing point procedure: give me a shooting solution, engines only."

"Firing point procedure, Aye." Lt Gaeta nodded, "Formulating shooting solution now."

"The _Pegasus_ has lost most of her point-defences." Tight looked at Adam, holding his arm, trying to hide the blood that was starting to seep through his uniform, "We have a clear shot at her…"

"I will not order the destruction of a friendly ship." Adama shook his head, showing to be heard above the constant sound of sirens, "We've lost too many people already."

"Cain's lost it. You're letting your emotions get in the way again: Athena joined the fleet of her own free will: she knew what she was getting herself into…"

"I'm not going to order the destruction of the _Pegasus_ while there is still a chance!"

"Sir, we have a shooting solution on the _Alexander_ and _Mjolnir_." Lt Gaeta reported, "All weapons report ready to fire."

"Fire as they bare!" Adama ordered, "Clear the tubes."

"Aye-aye, sir!" Gaeta opened a channel to the fighters outside, "Fire in the hole! Repeat; fire in the hole!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Fire in the hole!_"

The four bright flashes that illuminated the front of the _Galatica_ as the mighty Battlestar fired her main guns, momentarily blinding Beka. Her slipfighter's sensors barely had time to register the massive projectiles before they hit the smaller destroyers.

The _Alexander_ took both hits to her port landing pod, the shear force of impact twisting it out of shape, almost blasting it clear. The ship started to rotate uncontrollably as atmosphere vented fro dozens of hull breaches.

Less fortunate was the _Mjolnir_: one round struck the ships armor at an oblique angle and ricocheted of into space, doing minimal damaged. The second shot, on the other hand, struck the sturdy destroyer head-on, buckling several bulkheads as it buried itself into the ships prow. Her running lights flickered momentarily, before dieing completely as the ship lost main power.

A near miss brought Beka back to reality with a bump, reminding her that she still had to fulfil her mission. Reacquiring a lock on the _Pegasus_, she opened fire with her lasers, tracking a line of fire across the hull.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rommie could feel every bump and shudder that ran trough the _Pegasus_: from the constant hum of its powerful reactors, to the drumbeat of impacting pulse laser fire. She knew that her friends were outside, fighting for their lives, but she had to push that to the back of her mind and concentrate on the mission at hand.

There were, as Helo had warned, two guards outside the cells holding Admiral Rhade.

Drawing her forcelance, she set it to emit a low-level electrical discharge that would incapacitate without killing. Then, holding her weapon tightly in one hand, she started to make her way along the corridor, doing her best to look like she belonged there.

"Halt!" The first guard pointed his weapon at Rommie, "Name, rank and authorisation!"

"Don't suppose you'd believe me if I told you I left my ID in my other uniform?" Rommie asked, bring up her forcelance as fast as she could.

The guard reacted instinctively, pulling the trigger tightly. Rommie shook as the HE-AP rounds struck her torso, ripping her stolen uniform to shreds. Some threatened to penetrate her outer casing, but fortunately it held long enough for her to activate her forcelance.

Electricity leapt from the weapon to the two guards, sending their bodies into spasm. They fell like puppets with the strings cut, collapsing on the deck, out cold but otherwise unhurt.

Lifting a key card from the belt of one guard, Rommie used it to open the outer door. There was no sing of a guard inside the brig, but Rommie could see Admiral Rhade lying in a heap on the floor.

"Admiral." She moved over to him, "Can you hear me, sir?"

"Andromeda?" The Nietzschean officer asked groggily, "What are you doing here?"

"Rescuing you." Rommie lifted Rhade up; supporting his weight as best she could, considering their differences in height, "We have a ship waiting for us."

"You shouldn't have come."

"First rule of the High Guard sir: never leave a man behind."

**To Be Continued…**


	17. Part 17

**When two Tribes go to war... (Part 17)**

"_We are not now that strength which in old days  
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are,--  
One equal temper of heroic hearts,  
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will  
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."  
_**Tennyson, Ulysses**

Beka felt her ship lurch as a round from one of the _Pegasus'_ few remaining turrets hit its port wing, destroying the laser. Electricity stated to dance across the controls as the power plant began to overload. Reacting on instinct, Beka smashed the Perspex cover protecting the controls to jettison the core before it reached overload.

Glowing brightly, the reactor fell away from the stricken fighter before exploding in a blinding flash of light. Debris hit the fighter, sending it spinning out of control, forcing Beka to eject before it crashed into the _Pegasus_.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Cain felt her command shudder violently as the remains of Beka's slipfighter impacted against the outer hull. The lights flickered on and off a few times, before finally dieing completely.

"Report!" She barked.

"Main power is offline." Her operations officer reported, "Emergency power is coming on-line now."

The low level back-up lights flickered on, illuminating the smoke filled CIC. Sparks continued to fly from the ships computers as the attacking fighters fired remorselessly at the now defenceless Battlestar.

"Bring us round to face the Galactica." Cain looked round, all reason and sense having fled, "Give me ramming speed!"

"Ma'am?" The operations officer asked; a worried look on her face.

"I need you with me on this, Athena. I know Bill; he'll blink first!"

"Yes...I mean, Aye-Aye, Admiral: ramming speed."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"The _Pegasus_ is moving!" Lt. Gaeta looked worried, "Sir; I think she's going to try and ram us!"

"The hell she is!" Adama looked round to the main monitor, "Re-direct all our weapons fire at the _Pegasus_; aim for her engines only. Leave the destroyers to our fighters."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

While it is true that heavy Battlestars like the _Galactica_ and _Pegasus_ were mainly carriers, built to transport large numbers of fighters to and from a battle, they still needed to be able to stand toe-to-toe with other capital ships without being instantly overwhelmed. Ablative armour plating, meters thick, covered the entire hull, thickest where it covered important systems.

But the _Pegasus_ had already taken damage, massive rents crossing its broad back in a crisscross pattern. Weapons fire from the _Galactica_ slammed into it in a near constant stream, breaking off large chunks of armour. Weapons fire started to break through the armour, hitting the more delicate internal structure.

The engineers who had designed and built the _Pegasus_ had known what they were doing, and had heavily reinforced the ships internal structure, allowing it to bear the force of fire hitting the thick around. But without the protection of the outer hull plating, the internal structure was unable to withstand the onslaught, and supports started to buckle.

Power relays began to overload as the engines were pushed beyond their operational parameters. This, added to the damage dealt by the _Galactica_, knocked the out of alignment. The safety systems cut in, stopping the reactors form overloading as main power died throughout the once mighty Battlestar.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"**NO!**" Cain bellowed as she slammed her fists down on the map table as her command lost power, dieing around her, "**NO!**"

"Admiral," The operations officer stood, "we must stand down."

"**NO!**" Cain span round, her eyes wide with rage, "I will not be defeated by that bastard!"

"This ends, now," There was the sound of a gun being cocked, and the bridge crew looked round to see a stranger standing in the doorway, "By order of the President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, you will stand down!"

"You!" Cain moved her hand towards her side arm.

"I wouldn't recommend doing that, Admiral." Rommie's eyes narrowed, "I can think of a dozen places I can shoot you that won't kill you, but will cause enough pain to incapacitate you. I can hit four of them without adjusting my aim. Your ship is disabled in a system filled with Cylons. All you have to do to save your crew is stand down."

"Burn in hell, you Cylon bitch!" Cain started to move her hand towards her side arm again, but stopped when she felt the pressure of a gun pressed against the back of her head.

"Admiral, I am relieving you of your command." Athena swallowed, "I'm sorry..."

"Et tu, Athena?" All the emotion seemed to flow out of Cain's voice and face, "Et tu?"

"My first loyalty has to be to our people." Athena looked round the room, "Master-at-Arms: you will escort the Admiral to her quarters and see that she does not leave without my express order."

"Ma'am?" The startled guard seemed to ask Cain, Rommie and Athena for clarification.

"It's ok." Cain lowered her head, "I'll go peacefully."

"Well, I'm glad that's sorted." Rommie lowered her commandeered side arm as the guard led the Admiral away, "Lieutenant Commander Andromeda Ascendant, of the Systems Commonwealth High Guard." She saluted.

"Lieutenant Athena Cain, Colonial Armed Forces." Athena returned the salute, "We should inform the _Galactica_ that the Admiral has been relieved of command..."

"Already done: the _Alexander_ and _Mjolnir_ have also stood down, and the _Galactica_ is recalling all her fighters. What will it take to get main power back?"

"In truth? Divine intervention."

"Would an amazingly talented engineer do?"

"If you have one." Athena lowered her eyes, "I'd like to thank you for..."

"Don't thank me just yet." Rommie cut her off, "This crew tortured a senior member of a government allied to the Systems Commonwealth, fired upon a High Guard warship without provocation, and who knows what else. There will be a reckoning for what happened here today."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"The _Pegasus, Alexander_ and _Mjolnir_ are all standing down." Lt. Gaeta smiled for what felt like the first time in days, "Admiral Cain has been relived off her command."

"Cease firing; recall all fighters." Adama looked at Tigh, "I'm getting too old for this..."

"You and me both, old friend; you and me both." Tigh leaned in closer, "Athena's a tough kid, I'm sure she's..."

"She'll be fine, I know she will, but Sheba and I didn't part on good terms the last time we saw each other; I'm not sure what she may have told Athena."

"Sheba Cain may be a lot of things, but she's too much like her old man to lie about the character of a fellow officer. I know the two of you have history, but I shouldn't have to remind you that we have more pressing matters to attend to? Like what the hell's happening to the fleet we were supposed to be guarding?"

**To Be Continued...  
**(_At some point. Stop bugging me_)


	18. Part 18

Authors Note #1: in this AU, the _Pegasus_ and _Galactica_ are sister-ships and have a near identical layout and capabilities. Please remember that I started writing this long before I'd even seen the first season of the new-look _Battle Star Galactica_, and at the point of starting this chapter, I have yet to see season two.

Authors Note #2: As this part is going to deal with the battle between the High Guard, the Cylons and to a lesser extent, the Drago-Kazov, I've decided to give a list of the non-canon High Guard ships and their corresponding AI's:  
_Zion's Victory_/Zoë  
_Kingfisher_/Kingston  
_Twelve Centuries_/Travis  
_Black Watch_/Hamish

**When two Tribes go to war... (Part 18)**

"_When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say,  
__For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today"  
__**The Kohima Epitaph**_

The _Pegasus_ flouted almost dead in space, her hull pockmarked, many of the rents in her armour still burning as damage control teams fought to bring them under control. Her two escorts were in no better shape: although they had taken less damage, they lacked the multiple redundant subsystems of the larger Battlestar.

For her part, the _Galactica_ had taken more than a few hits, and was suffering from power fluctuations throughout her port landing-pod. Her remaining _Vipers_ flew an ad-hoc CAP while her _Raptors_ begin the grizzly task of finding and recovering the pilots of destroyed or disabled fighters. It was one such SAR team that found Beka's escape pod floating dead in space near the _Pegasus_.

They tried to contact her, but got no response with either their radio or signal light. Getting as close as they could, they fired a magnetic grapple at the small pod and started to tow it towards the _Galactica_.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Harper felt more than a little hesitant as Tyr brought his slip-fighter around to land on the _Pegasus_' starboard landing pod. He could easily see the amount of damage the ship had taken during the short but brutal battle between the two leviathans of space. The idea that he would somehow be able to bring the ship back on line almost single handily was daunting, but it needed to be done: Commander Adama was getting the Galactica ready to head back to where the _Andromeda_ and the other High Guard ships were keeping the civilians ships of the Colonial Remnant safe from Cylon aggression.

With the skill and grace that was Par for the course with any Nietzschean; Tyr brought the small fighter in for a textbook landing.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Dylan could only look on in anguish as the _Zion's Victory_ burned from stem to stern, her hull pockmarked with by hits from both Cylon and Nietzschean weapons. The once proud destroyer tuned her bow towards the nearest Basestar and started to accelerate as escape pods started to burst out like seeds from a pod.

Andromeda reached out across the data link and grabbed Zoë and pulled her fellow AI away from the doomed ship at the last possible moment. With so many systems and inputs calling on her runtime, Andromeda wasn't able to create a new partition to house Zoë, and was forced to place in the same subsystem that held the copy of Six that they had taken from Dr Baltar's head.

"So, you are a Cylon." The High Guard AI looked at its counterpart and sneered, "Pathetic..."

Six could only gulp as she looked at the newcomer: unlike Rommie, Zoë was dressed in a black High Guard duty uniform, complete with the digital representation of a forcelance. The AI's self-chosen physical appearance was likewise intimidating: she was almost a head taller than the Cylon, and would have been considered athletic if human. Her skin was dark, accented by her raven-black hair that was pulled back into a loose ponytail.

"We were enough to defeat you..." Six replied defensively.

"Ha!" Zoë flung her head back as she laughed, "You call that a defeat? I destroyed two Basestars and a dozen Nietzschean cruisers before I fell in battle! I am a High Guard ship-of-the-line, a _Siege Perilous_ class destroyer; the most powerful and deadly starship killer ever created! I know for a fact that there are at least two more hulls unassigned that I can take control of when we return to Commonwealth space. This battle is but another honour to add to my name."

"You can be assigned to another ship?" Six asked, amazed at the similarities between the two different types of AI, "You will live again?"

"I am a High Guard officer: my place is in battle, and I will not long be held back from it!" Zoë smiled, "And as an officer of the High Guard, it is my place to protect the Systems Commonwealth from any enemy, without or within."

"Tell me more." Six asked, intrigued.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"While it is nice to know that you have faith in my abilities as an engineer, this is just too much!" Harper stood looking around the tangled mess that was the _Pegasus_' starboard landing pod: smoke still filled the air as the environmental controls struggled to keep up, and the lights blinked on and off intermittently. "I don't know the first thing about Colonial technology."

"You sell yourself short." Rommie looked round, diplomatically not hearing some of the things the Battlestar's crew were saying about her behind her back, "You didn't know anything about High Guard systems before you pulled me from the singularity, but you soon got my systems back online. And this time you're only assisting the _Pegasus_' own engineers."

"Just who is commanding this ship?" Tyr asked; his hands never far away from at least one weapon each.

"Lt. Athena Cain, the ships operations officer." Rommie explained as they started to make their way to CIC, "And before you ask, yes, she is Admiral Cain's daughter."

"Her dad's Commander Adama: they had an affair years ago." Harper explained, "Beka told me just before we took off."

"That would explain a lot." Rommie nodded, "How is Beka? I hared that they found her escape pod, but with no networked computers, it's hard for me to keep track."

"The Doc over on the _Galactica_ said she'd going to be fine, but I'll feel better when Trance has a look at her." Harper stopped, "She we be talking like this out in the open?"

"And why not?" Tyr shrugged, "None of the crew speaks Common..."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The last Drago-Kazov warship exploded, leaving the few remaining fighters to make a break for it as best they could. Most made it to slipstream, while others were picked off by Cylon Raiders or High Guard Slipfighters. With the Nietzscheans out of the picture, the two remaining sides ripped into each other with renewed frenzy. Capital ships traded missile barrages while nimble fighters darted about, filling the void with a criss-crossing pattern of laser and cannon fire.

Finally, the _Wrath of Achilles, Twelve Centuries_ and _Andromeda Ascendant_ got close enough to use their powerful anti-proton cannons on the few remaining Basestars. The huge anti-ship weapons fired as fast as they cycled, each bolt ripping a fresh hole in the Cylon vessels thick armour. With their missile compliments almost depleted, the Basestars' were almost defenceless under the relentless barrage, and started to explode one by one until only two remained.

The more damaged of the pair tried to ram the _Wrath of Achilles_, but fell under the guns of all three cruisers, and was almost instantly ripped apart. The remaining Basestar, finding itself outgunned and out of ammo, tried to activate its FTL drive, but it discovered it was offline. There was no damage, but it was unable to jump, almost like someone was jamming it.

The trio of High Guard warship advanced on the helpless Cylon ship from different angles, weapons armed and ready.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Give me an open channel." Dylan stood proudly in the middle of Command.

"Channel open." Andromeda reported.

"Attention Cylon vessel: this is Captain Dylan Hunt, Commodore of the High Guard fleet." The ships Captain smiled, "Stand down immediately or we will be forced to..."

"_That will not be necessary, Captain._" A new voice came over the link as a dozen slipstream portals opened, "_We will take things from here._"

**To Be Continued...  
**(_At some point: stop bugging me_)


End file.
